Coexistence of Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer Disease Pathology: A Case Series

Abstract

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are now living close to normal lifespans and will likely suffer from the same diseases of aging as the general population. However, the coexistence of MS with diseases of aging remains poorly understood. In particular, little information exists describing the coexistence of MS with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia. In this case series, we searched a post-mortem pathological (autopsy) report database of the Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority in British Columbia, Canada to identify individuals with neuropathological features of both MS and AD. To complement the data from the autopsy reports, we accessed the medical records of the patients identified. Our search identified four individuals with pathological features of both MS and AD: three females and one male. Two individuals had pre-mortem diagnoses of MS while two did not. None of the patients with AD pathology had pre-mortem diagnoses of AD. In summary, this case series adds to the sparse literature describing the coexistence of these two relatively common neurological conditions and advances our understanding of the clinical and pathological features individuals with both MS and AD may present with.

J Neurol Res. 2021;11(3-4):60-67
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jnr666