A patient with early-onset Alzheimer's disease with a novel PSEN1 p.Leu424Pro mutation.

"Presenilin 1" (PSEN1) gene mutations are the major known genetic cause of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Herein, we report a novel heterozygous PSEN1 mutation (p.Leu424Pro) in a Turkish patient presenting with deterioration of short-term memory and visuospatial skills starting at the age of 47 years. This novel mutation is located in the conserved residue of transmembrane domain 8 coded by exon 12. At the protein level, this mutation caused a disruption in the alpha helix structure of PSEN1. The structural and possible functional consequences of the mutation suggest that it has probably a pathogenic effect, which in turns had a potential role in the development of Alzheimer's disease in our patient.