skip to main content

Posterior Cortical Atrophy — SCE Neurology MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardNeurodegenerative DiseasePosterior Cortical AtrophySCE Neurology

Progressive difficulty reading, dressing, locating objects and navigating occurs with relatively preserved early episodic memory. MRI shows posterior parietal and occipital atrophy. Which syndrome best fits?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C — Posterior cortical atrophy, with these neuroanatomical findings, in this clinical phenotype

The best answer is “Posterior cortical atrophy, with these neuroanatomical findings, in this clinical phenotype”. Posterior cortical atrophy is a clinico-radiological syndrome dominated by progressive visual-processing and parietal dysfunction rather than early amnesia. “Behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia” remains a plausible alternative in a different presentation, but it does not fit the decisive finding or management threshold here. “Semantic-variant primary progressive aphasia” remains a plausible alternative in a different presentation, but it does not fit the decisive finding or management threshold here. “Typical amnestic Alzheimer presentation without posterior-network dysfunction” remains a plausible alternative in a different presentation, but it does not fit the decisive finding or management threshold here. “Subcortical vascular cognitive impairment with prominent executive slowing” remains a plausible alternative in a different presentation, but it does not fit the decisive finding or management threshold here.

Reference: Consensus classification of posterior cortical atrophy: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5788455/