Pick Disease

WHAT IS IT?

Pick disease (Pick’s disease) refers to a degenerative frontotemporal dementia (it typically spares parietal and occipital lobes).

The frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are affected in Pick disease (source)
The frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are affected in Pick disease (source)
WHAT CAUSES IT?

The exact cause of the frontal and temporal lobe degeneration is not known.

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?

Loss of these cortical structures will result in personality changes, language aphasias, and dementia.

WHAT MAKES US SUSPECT IT?

Risk factors

Family history of Pick disease, history of traumatic brain injury

Initial Presentation

Common Presenting Signs/Symptoms/General Diagnosis:

  • Memory issues is a very common chief concern
  • Changes in personality noticed early on
  • Language aphasia is also typically one of the earlier signs
  • Dementia will ultimately be diagnosed in patients as the disease progresses.

History Of Present Illness

Associated symptoms can incldue parkinsonian aspects/EPS symptoms.

CLINICAL WORKUP

Dementia is often a clinical diagnosis that can be further characterized for classification.

Imaging (such as MRI) can demonstrate frontotemporal atrophy.

MRI sequences showing degeneration of cortical tissues in a patient with Pick disease (source)
MRI sequences showing degeneration of cortical tissues in a patient with Pick disease (source)

Histology can reveal the presence of “Pick bodies” in the neurons of the cortex. These are silver-staining spherical tau protein aggregates.

The autoposy of patients with Pick disease will show the presence of Pick bodies in cortical tissues (source)
The autoposy of patients with Pick disease will show the presence of Pick bodies in cortical tissues (source)
HOW DO WE TREAT IT? 

There are no effective disease modifying treatments for the underlying cause of Pick’s disease. As a result

HOW WELL DO THE PATIENTS DO?

Pick’s disease  is a progressive disease that will get worse over time.

WAS THERE A WAY TO PREVENT IT? 

N/A

FURTHER READING

DynaMed

UpToDate

 

Page Updated: 07.30.2016