The youngest reported case of corticobasal degeneration

Corticobasal syndrome etiologies in a young Filipino patient: A case report and literature review

While corticobasal syndrome (CBS) has long been associated with corticobasal degeneration (CBD), only 24-57% of CBS patients will have the classic histopathologic findings of CBD postmortem. Here, we present a 28-year-old male who had a 3-year history of progressive right sided predominant, atypical parkinsonism, limb dystonia, stimulus sensitive myoclonus, apraxia, aphasia, alien limb phenomenon, and cognitive impairment, typical of CBS, who, based on Armstrong criteria will qualify as possible CBD. In conclusion, among young patients presenting with CBS, tauopathies are still the most common causes, but inherited metabolic and white matter diseases as well as other non-tau associated neurodegenerative conditions should also be ruled out. Nevertheless, since most of these are diagnosed histopathologically, accurate and complete clinical findings, in addition to extensive metabolic work ups, imaging and genetic tests may be needed to clinch the cause of this syndrome.

Corticobasal degeneration

Corticobasal degeneration is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that typically presents with asymmetrical parkinsonism and cognitive dysfunction. Recent molecular advances have given some clues to the pathogenesis of the disease. Clinical diagnosis is complicated by both the variability of presentation of true corticobasal degeneration, for example as a dementing illness, and the syndromes that look like it but are caused by other neurodegenerative diseases. Although definitive diagnosis of corticobasal degeneration can only be made at post-mortem examination, recent advances in imaging can assist the clinician with diagnosis. Treatment options remain limited and mostly address symptoms.