title: Effect of deoxyribonuclease I treatment for dementia in end-stage Alzheimer's disease: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and is characterized by a progressive loss of brain tissue leading to amyloid-β accumulation and severe decline in cognitive function. The cause of Alzheimer's disease is poorly understood, and available treatments are limited in their efficacy, particularly for patients with more severe symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a 77-year-old Caucasian man with severe dementia and behavioral disturbance secondary to Alzheimer's disease treated with memantine who began adjunct treatment with deoxyribonuclease I. Prior to initiation of deoxyribonuclease I treatment, our patient appeared to be in a stuporous state, with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 3 and a Functional Assessment Staging Test score of 7. After obtaining informed consent from family members, we started administration of 120 mg of deoxyribonuclease I per day (1500 KU/mg) for treatment of severe cognitive impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our patient began to demonstrate rapid, considerable improvement in cognitive function 2 days following initiation of deoxyribonuclease I treatment. After 2 months of continued treatment, Mini-Mental State Examination and Functional Assessment Staging Test scores were 18 and 4, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Human Microbiology Institute, Inc., 303 5th avenue, Suite 2012, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tetz
authors.affiliation: CLS Therapeutics, PO BOX 634, Bordeaux Court, Les Echelons, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, GY1 3DR, UK. georgetets@gmail.com.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tetz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Dementia; Deoxyribonuclease I; Memantine; Neurodegeneration