Posterior Cortical Atrophy: An Early Sign of Alzheimer's Disease and Its Impact on Vision-Related Tasks

San Francisco, California, USA United States of America
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. One of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer's can be posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), which involves difficulty with vision-related tasks such as reading or judging distances.
Posterior cortical atrophy has been found to predict the development of Alzheimer's disease in 94% of cases, and is more common in women than men. The condition is characterized by tau pathology in the posterior parts of the brain, which may be responsible for vision problems.
There are currently no treatments specifically designed for PCA.
Posterior Cortical Atrophy: An Early Sign of Alzheimer's Disease and Its Impact on Vision-Related Tasks

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. One of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer's can be posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), which involves difficulty with vision-related tasks such as reading or judging distances. PCA has been found to predict the development of Alzheimer's disease in 94% of cases, and is more common in women than men. The condition is characterized by tau pathology in the posterior parts of the brain, which may be responsible for vision problems. While there are currently no treatments specifically designed for PCA, ongoing research aims to better understand this variant of Alzheimer's disease and develop new therapies.


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • It is not clear if there are any other symptoms of PCA besides difficulty with vision-related tasks.

Sources

74%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Strange vision problems may indicate Alzheimer's disease

United Press International (UPI) Wednesday, 24 January 2024 14:42
  • Unique Points
    • Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) involves a sudden difficulty in performing vision-related tasks such as writing, judging whether an object is moving or stationary, or easily picking up a dropped item. Everyday tasks like these become difficult despite the fact that a person's eye exam comes out fine.
    • Patients with PCA often failed to accurately copy simple diagrams, had trouble gauging an object's location or had difficulty visually perceiving more than one object at a time, and math and reading skills also began to falter.
    • PCA patients have more tau pathology in the posterior parts of the brain compared to those with other presentations of Alzheimer's disease.
    • 60% of patients with PCA were women.
  • Accuracy
    • In 94% of cases, people experiencing posterior cortical atrophy went on to develop Alzheimer's disease.
    • The unusual early symptoms of posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) mean that thousands of people may go years before receiving the correct diagnosis
    • Patients with PCA have more tau pathology in the posterior parts of the brain compared to those with other presentations of Alzheimer's disease. This might make them better suited to anti-tau therapies.
    • 60% of patients with PCA were women, which is an important area for future research.
  • Deception (50%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that people experiencing posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) almost always signal the impending arrival of Alzheimer's disease. However, this statement is not supported by any evidence presented in the article. The study only found a correlation between PCA and Alzheimer's disease, but it does not establish causation. Secondly, the author uses sensationalist language such as
    • Patients with PCA often failed to accurately copy simple diagrams, had trouble gauging an object's location or had difficulty visually perceiving more than one object at a time, the research showed. Math and reading skills also began to falter.
    • The condition is called posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). It involves a sudden difficulty in performing vision-related tasks -- for example writing, judging whether an object is moving or stationary, or easily picking up a dropped item. Everyday tasks like these become difficult despite the fact that a person's eye exam comes out fine.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing a study that found that people experiencing posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) went on to develop Alzheimer's disease. However, the author does not provide any evidence or reasoning for why this is true beyond stating it as fact. Additionally, the article contains inflammatory rhetoric when it states that PCA
    • The study found that people experiencing posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) went on to develop Alzheimer's disease in 94% of cases.
    • Patients with PCA often failed to accurately copy simple diagrams, had trouble gauging an object's location or had difficulty visually perceiving more than one object at a time.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
    The article discusses the relationship between Marianne Chapleau and Renaud La Joie at UCSF's Memory and Aging Center. It also mentions that PCA is a type of dementia which may be related to Alzheimer's disease.
    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication

    73%

    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

    A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

    For some Alzheimer’s patients, vision problems may be an early warning

    The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Mark Johnson Tuesday, 23 January 2024 11:00
    • Unique Points
      • For some Alzheimer's patients, vision problems may be an early warning
      • Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) involves a sudden difficulty in performing vision-related tasks such as writing, judging whether an object is moving or stationary, or easily picking up a dropped item. Everyday tasks like these become difficult despite the fact that a person's eye exam comes out fine.
      • Patients with PCA often failed to accurately copy simple diagrams, had trouble gauging an object's location or had difficulty visually perceiving more than one object at a time, and math and reading skills also began to falter.
      • PCA patients have more tau pathology in the posterior parts of the brain compared to those with other presentations of Alzheimer's disease.
      • 60% of patients with PCA were women.
    • Accuracy
      • The unusual early symptoms of posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) mean that thousands of people may go years before receiving the correct diagnosis
      • On average, PCA is not diagnosed until about four years after the onset of symptoms
    • Deception (50%)
      The article is deceptive in that it presents the symptoms of posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) as a sign of Alzheimer's disease. However, PCA is not considered to be a form of Alzheimer's disease but rather an independent condition with its own set of symptoms and characteristics.
      • The article states that Charlie Stewart had domino confusion which was initially thought to be a vision problem. This statement implies that the domino confusion was caused by PCA, when in fact it is not considered to be a symptom of PCA but rather an early warning sign.
    • Fallacies (85%)
      The article discusses a lesser-known variant of Alzheimer's disease called posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). PCA begins with problems affecting vision rather than memory. The study found that on average the syndrome is not diagnosed until about four years after the onset of symptoms, and some patients begin to experience symptoms within a year or two of their first vision symptoms. This delay in diagnosis can lead to misdiagnosis and missed opportunities for early treatment. Additionally, PCA affects women disproportionately.
      • The study found that the syndrome is not diagnosed until about four years after the onset of symptoms.
    • Bias (100%)
      None Found At Time Of Publication
    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
      Mark Johnson has a conflict of interest with Alzheimer's disease as he is reporting on the topic and also mentioning his own mother who was diagnosed with it. He also mentions Susan Stewart and Charlie Stewart (retired) who are likely family members or close friends to him.
      • Mark Johnson has a conflict of interest with Alzheimer's disease as he is reporting on the topic and also mentioning his own mother who was diagnosed with it. He also mentions Susan Stewart and Charlie Stewart (retired) who are likely family members or close friends to him.
        • [the disease] for quite a few years.
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          The author Mark Johnson has a conflict of interest on the topic of Alzheimer's disease and vision problems as he mentions Susan Stewart and Charlie Stewart who have been living with PCA for quite a few years. He also talks about clinicians and researchers conducting clinical trials which could be seen as an affiliation.
          • Charlie Stewart
            • Susan Stewart

            74%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            For These Alzheimer's Patients, the Eyes Offer a Clue

            Newser LLC Jenn Gidman Tuesday, 23 January 2024 21:55
            • Unique Points
              • Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a rare variant of Alzheimer's disease in which patients start having vision problems early on.
              • Patients with PCA exhibit their unusual symptoms about five or six years before individuals with the more common form of Alzheimer's.
              • Individuals who start experiencing vision problems due to PCA don’t suspect Alzheimer’s and usually start first with their primary doctor, then head to different eye doctors before finally hitting upon a visit with a neurologist.
              • PCA patients have more tau pathology in the posterior parts of the brain compared to those with other presentations of Alzheimer's disease.
              • 60% of patients with PCA were women.
            • Accuracy
              • Individuals who start experiencing vision problems due to PCA don’t suspect Alzheimer's and usually start first with their primary doctor, then head to different eye doctors before finally hitting upon a visit with a neurologist.
              • PCA patients are often excluded from clinical trials because they are not on anyone's radar.
              • Patients have mostly been excluded from trials since they are usually aimed at patients with amnestic Alzheimer's disease, but UCSF is considering treatments for patients with PCA and other non-amnestic variants.
            • Deception (50%)
              The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that PCA patients start exhibiting their unusual symptoms about five or six years before individuals with the more common form of Alzheimer's. However, this statement contradicts itself as it says 'about four years after those first signs', which means they are not starting to exhibit their symptoms at all. Secondly, the author states that PCA patients exhibited levels of amyloid and tau plaques in their brains but fails to mention if these findings were linked to any specific disease or condition. Lastly, the article mentions a company that can scan patients' eyes and pick up signs of Alzheimer's, which is not mentioned anywhere else in the article.
              • The author claims that PCA patients start exhibiting their unusual symptoms about five or six years before individuals with the more common form of Alzheimer's. However, this statement contradicts itself as it says 'about four years after those first signs', which means they are not starting to exhibit their symptoms at all.
              • The author states that PCA patients exhibited levels of amyloid and tau plaques in their brains but fails to mention if these findings were linked to any specific disease or condition.
            • Fallacies (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Bias (85%)
              The article discusses a rare variant of Alzheimer's called posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) which causes vision problems early on. The author mentions that thousands of people with PCA go undiagnosed for years due to the atypical symptom presentation. However, in this study, researchers found that patients with PCA start exhibiting their unusual symptoms about five or six years before individuals with the more common form of Alzheimer's. The majority of patients are women and even when these symptoms pop up, they are not diagnosed until about four years after those first signs. This delay in diagnosis is due to the fact that individuals who start experiencing them don't suspect Alzheimer's and usually start with their primary doctor before heading to different eye doctors until finally hitting upon a visit with a neurologist.
              • Patients with PCA, on average, are not diagnosed until about four years after those first signs
                • The majority of patients (about 60%) are women for unclear reasons.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                  Jenn Gidman has a conflict of interest on the topic of Alzheimer's disease as she is reporting for Newser which is owned by IAC Publishing. The company also owns and operates several other health-related websites including WebMD.
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                    The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of Alzheimer's disease as they are reporting for UC San Francisco, which is likely to have financial ties with pharmaceutical companies that develop treatments for Alzheimer's. The article also mentions amyloid plaques and tau plaques, both of which are associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease.
                    • The study was funded by a grant from the National Institute on Aging.

                    84%

                    The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                    (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                    A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                    Posterior cortical atrophy predicts Alzheimer's, study finds

                    News Medical Net Tuesday, 23 January 2024 02:42
                    • Unique Points
                      • Posterior cortical atrophy predicts Alzheimer's disease
                      • 94% of PCA patients had Alzheimer's pathology
                      • Patients with PCA struggle with judging distances and distinguishing between moving and stationary objects despite normal eye exam
                      • Most patients with PCA have normal cognition early on but by the time of their first diagnostic visit an average 3.8 years after symptom onset mild or moderate dementia was apparent
                      • 47% faced new challenges with basic math calculations and 43% with reading
                    • Accuracy
                      • Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) predicts Alzheimer's disease
                      • Patients with PCA struggle with judging distances, distinguishing between moving and stationary objects, completing tasks like writing and retrieving a dropped item despite normal eye exam
                    • Deception (50%)
                      The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title implies that posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) predicts Alzheimer's disease with certainty when in fact only 94% of PCA patients had Alzheimer's pathology and the remaining 6% had conditions like Lewy body disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Secondly, the article states that most patients with PCA have normal cognition early on but by the time of their first diagnostic visit, an average 3.8 years after symptom onset, mild or moderate dementia was apparent with deficits identified in memory, executive function, behavior and speech and language. However this is not entirely accurate as some patients may present with cognitive impairments earlier than 3.8 years after symptom onset.
                      • The title implies that PCA predicts Alzheimer's disease with certainty when in fact only 94% of PCA patients had Alzheimer's pathology and the remaining 6% had conditions like Lewy body disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
                      • The article states that most patients with PCA have normal cognition early on but by the time of their first diagnostic visit, an average 3.8 years after symptom onset, mild or moderate dementia was apparent with deficits identified in memory, executive function, behavior and speech and language.
                    • Fallacies (85%)
                      The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the study is published in a reputable journal and includes data from over 1000 patients at multiple sites across the world. However, this does not necessarily make the findings valid or reliable without further evidence. Additionally, there are examples of inflammatory rhetoric used throughout the article when discussing PCA's impact on quality of life for patients and their families.
                      • The study includes data from more than 1000 patients at 36 sites in 16 countries.
                    • Bias (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                      None Found At Time Of Publication