Division of Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, Memory Disorders Unit, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2010 Mar;25(2):109-15. doi: 10.1177/1533317509352335. Epub 2010 Jan 27.
We present the case of a 39-year-old patient with frontotemporal dementia. This case depicts the complexities in the process leading to the diagnosis, treatment, and placement of young patients presenting with severe psychiatric symptoms as the first signs of an underlying neurological disease. Obstacles in the health care system and residential placement process that hinder the optimal and timely care of such difficult cases are discussed. Practical solutions are offered that center upon better awareness and education and the provision of additional resources. These interventions are likely to provide a positive return on investment for the medical system and could be used as strong levers for new health policies relevant to younger patients with neurological illness.
我们呈现了一例 39 岁的额颞叶痴呆患者。该病例描述了在诊断、治疗和安置这些以严重精神症状为首发表现的年轻患者时所面临的复杂性,这些患者患有潜在的神经退行性疾病。讨论了医疗保健系统和住院安置过程中存在的障碍,这些障碍阻碍了对这些困难病例的最佳和及时的护理。提出了一些切实可行的解决方案,其核心是提高认识和教育水平,并提供更多的资源。这些干预措施可能会为医疗系统带来积极的投资回报,并可作为制定与年轻神经疾病患者相关的新卫生政策的有力杠杆。