--- title: "Alzheimer abnormalities | Sutter Health" description: "Alzheimer abnormalities of the amygdala with Klüver-Bucy syndrome symptoms: an amygdaloid variant of Alzheimer disease" url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/alzheimer-abnormalities-of-the-amygdala-1055312743" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Alzheimer abnormalities # Alzheimer abnormalities of the amygdala with Klüver-Bucy syndrome symptoms: an amygdaloid variant of Alzheimer disease Arch Neurol. 2009 Jan;66(1):125-9. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2008.517. Alzheimer abnormalities of the amygdala with Klüver-Bucy syndrome symptoms: an amygdaloid variant of Alzheimer disease. Kile SJ1, Ellis WG, Olichney JM, Farias S, DeCarli C. Author information 1Department of Neurology, & University of California at Davis _Arch Neurol. 2009 Jan;_ 2009-01-20 ## Abstract BACKGROUND: Neurofibrillary tangles and beta-amyloid plaques have been observed in the amygdala in Alzheimer disease. A disproportionate abundance of this abnormality in the amygdala may cause behavioral symptoms similar to Klüver-Bucy syndrome. OBJECTIVES: To describe an atypical behavioral presentation of Alzheimer disease and to review the literature on the subject. DESIGN: Case study. SETTING: Outpatient specialty clinic. PATIENT: A 70-year-old man with progressive behavioral symptoms of hyperorality, hypersexuality, hypermetamorphosis, visual agnosia, hyperphagia, and apathy who died at age 77 of asphyxiation on a foreign object. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical symptomatology, brain imaging, and neuropathology. RESULTS: The pathologic diagnosis was Alzheimer disease with abundant tangles and plaques in the lateral amygdala. CONCLUSIONS: This case represents a variant of Alzheimer disease with prominent amygdala abnormalities and a Klüver-Bucy phenotype that was misdiagnosed as frontotemporal dementia. Clinical and imaging findings that may aid in accurate diagnosis are reviewed. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19139311) ![Shawn J Kile, M.D.](https://dyn.mktgcdn.com/p/q0wjBudDBEScUW_Fehb6xrCnhqVyTm2ZGn3nY5fkqXc/fit=crop,gravity=auto,dpr=2,width=188,height=250,quality=100) Shawn J Kile, M.D. Principal investigator [View profile](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/investigators/shawn-j-kile-md-1049681124) ## Research topics - [Alzheimer's Disease](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Alzheimer%27s+Disease%5C%22%22) - [Neurological Disorders](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Neurological+Disorders%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Neuropsychiatric update: neuroimaging schizophrenia.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/neuropsychiatric-update-neuroimaging-1055312750) Psychopharmacol Bull. 2007;40(4):156-67. Neuropsychiatric update: neuroimaging schizophrenia. Kile SJ. Psychopharmacol Bull. 2007;40(4):156-67. Neuropsychiatric update: neuroimaging schizophrenia. Kile SJ. 2007 Jul 20 - Publication ### [Brain regions showing increased activation by threat-related words in panic disorder.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/brainregionsshowingincreasedactivation-1055312756) Maddock RJ1, Buonocore MH, Kile SJ, Garrett AS. Author information 1Department of Radiology, University of California Davis, 4801 X St, Sacramento, California 95817, USA. rjmaddock@ucdaris.edu Neuroreport. 2003 Mar 2003 Mar 20 - Publication ### [Reduction of Amyloid in the Brain and Retina After Treatment With IVIG for Mild Cognitive Impairment](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/reduction-amyloid-after-treatment-ivig-for-mild-impairment-1055312939) American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias 2020 Feb 12 - Publication ### [IVIG treatment of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease: a randomised double-blinded exploratory study of the effect on brain atrophy, cognition and conversion to dementia](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/ivig-treatment-of-mild-cognitive-impairment-1055312456) Relkin NR, Szabo P, Adamiak B, Burgut T, Monthe C, Lent RW, Younkin S, Younkin L, Schiff R, Weksler ME. 18-Month study of intravenous immunoglobulin for treatment of mild Alzheimer disease. Neurobiol Aging. 2009 Nov;30(11):1728-36. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.12.021. Epub 2008 Feb 21. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015 Sep 29. pii: jnnp-2015-311486. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2015-311486. 2015 Sep 29 - Publication ### [Five-year outcomes after IVIG for mild cognitive impairment due to alzheimer disease](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/outcome-after-ivig-for-cognitive-impairment-due-to-alzheimer-1055312927) BMC Neuroscience 2099 Dec 31 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/alzheimer-abnormalities-of-the-amygdala-1055312743#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Alzheimer abnormalities"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/alzheimer-abnormalities-of-the-amygdala-1055312743#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Alzheimer abnormalities of the amygdala with Klüver-Bucy syndrome symptoms: an amygdaloid variant of Alzheimer disease","headline":"Alzheimer abnormalities","abstract":"BACKGROUND: Neurofibrillary tangles and beta-amyloid plaques have been observed in the amygdala in Alzheimer disease. A disproportionate abundance of this abnormality in the amygdala may cause behavioral symptoms similar to Klüver-Bucy syndrome. OBJECTIVES: To describe an atypical behavioral presentation of Alzheimer disease and to review the literature on the subject. DESIGN: Case study. SETTING: Outpatient specialty clinic. PATIENT: A 70-year-old man with progressive behavioral symptoms of hyperorality, hypersexuality, hypermetamorphosis, visual agnosia, hyperphagia, and apathy who died at age 77 of asphyxiation on a foreign object. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical symptomatology, brain imaging, and neuropathology. RESULTS: The pathologic diagnosis was Alzheimer disease with abundant tangles and plaques in the lateral amygdala. CONCLUSIONS: This case represents a variant of Alzheimer disease with prominent amygdala abnormalities and a Klüver-Bucy phenotype that was misdiagnosed as frontotemporal dementia. 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