Are there susceptibility factors for primary progressive aphasia?

Abstract

The determinants of selective vulnerability in neurodegenerative diseases remain elusive. The asymmetric loss of neurons in primary progressive aphasia offers a unique setting for addressing this question. Although no factor can yet account for the selective vulnerability of the left hemisphere language network to degenerative diseases, a few themes are emerging as potential targets of further investigation.

Keywords: ApoE; Dementia; Dyslexia; Learning disabilities; Risk factors; Vasectomy.

Figure 1

Data from Rogalski 2008 showing that individual and family history of learning disability is significantly elevated in the PPA group compared with the other groups, p < 0.001.

Figure 2

A) Data from Weintraub 2006 and B) unpublished data showing that the frequency of vasectomy was significantly higher in men with PPA than in comparison groups of healthy controls or individuals with the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD).