An old way of forgetting

Abstract

Introduction

During the last decades, the incidence of syphilis is on the rising, particularly in the United States of America and Europe. Neurosyphilis is a disease that has a vast differential diagnostic. With that in mind, clinicians have some difficulties to identify it rapidly. A case of a 57-year-old man is presented, with a brutal change in his behavior, associated with a dementia-like syndrome. He is diagnosed with neurosyphilis.

Objectives

The main goal is to present his clinical psychiatric symptoms and diagnosis procedure, the treatment that he received and his clinical outcome in the psychogeriatric department.

Methods

The treatment was based in an integrated framework of pharmacology and psychotherapy.

Results

The patient was able to slowly recover and to get back home, we a solid structure to make the follow up.

Conclusions

This clinical vignette represents a growing number of adult patients that present themselves for the first time with dementia-like symptoms. It is important to remember, that many diseases are capable of mimicking dementia and their exclusion before admitting a diagnosis of dementia is mandatory.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.