- 46-year-old woman with alcohol use disorder presented with confusion, cognitive decline and hallucinations; family history of Alzheimer's disease.
- Comprehensive workup excluded metabolic, infectious and nutritional causes; phosphatidylethanol 1181 indicated severe alcohol misuse.
- Elevated phospho-Tau 217 and FDG-PET confirmed early onset Alzheimer's; AUD may precipitate earlier, more severe disease and warrants targeted intervention.
J Alzheimers Dis Rep. 2026 Jun 4;10:25424823261459404. doi: 10.1177/25424823261459404. eCollection 2026 Jan-Dec.
ABSTRACT
A 46-year-old female was admitted to the hospital for confusion, cognitive decline, and hallucinations with alcohol withdrawal. Her history was notable for Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and family history of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Comprehensive workup was unrevealing for metabolic encephalopathy, infection, or nutritional deficiencies. Phosphatidyl ethanol level was 1181, indicating severe alcohol misuse. Phospho-Tau 217 testing raised suspicion of AD and FDG-PET scan confirmed patterns consistent with early onset AD. AUD can precipitate earlier or more severe onset of AD. Phospho-Tau 217 can be a useful screening marker to identify people at risk of AD to prompt intensive treatment.
PMID:42877253 | PMC:PMC13662291 | DOI:10.1177/25424823261459404
Share Evidence Blueprint
Save to Google Notes
Search Google Scholar
Save as PDF
⭐ My Revision List
