Hemispatial visual defect in Alzheimer's disease

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Neurology

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
• Hemispatial neglect typically arises from right cerebral hemisphere damage.
• Homonymous hemianopsia is often caused by localized brain lesions.

Observation:

• A 56-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease presented with left hemispatial neglect.
• The patient also exhibited left homonymous hemianopsia with macular sparing.
• These symptoms were attributed to severe degenerative changes in the right primary visual cortex.

Findings:

• This case represents the first reported instance of Alzheimer's disease manifesting with both hemispatial neglect and homonymous hemianopsia.
• The co-occurrence of these deficits suggests a potential link to specific patterns of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.

Implications:

• This finding expands the known clinical spectrum of Alzheimer's disease.
• Highlights the importance of considering visual and spatial deficits in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and management.
• Suggests that primary visual cortex integrity is crucial for preventing these specific neurological symptoms in Alzheimer's patients.