An elderly man presents with tremors and gives a family history of dementia, The diagnosis is
High-Yield Explanation
(B) Parkinsonism dementia-ALS complex # Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's Disease or Maladie de Charcot or motor neurone disease) is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement> The disorder causes muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the body as both the upper & lower motor neurons degenerate and die, ceasing to send messages to muscles> Unable to function, the muscles gradually weaken, atrophy, and develop fasciculations (twitches) because of denervation. Eventually, the brain completely loses its ability to initiate and control voluntary movement.> Frontotemporal dementia with Parkinsonism-17 (FTDP-17) is a type of progressively worsening dementia that affects the frontal (front) and temporal (side) regions of the brain. It includes some instances of what was once called 'Pick's disease'.> Symptoms may include personality changes with loss of social niceties, diminished cognitive capacity and parkinsonism (lack of facial expression, slow movements, rigidity and balance problems).