20th July 2023

A 54-year-old man is admitted to hospital with a severe community acquired pneumonia.

A 54-year-old man is admitted to hospital with a severe community acquired pneumonia.

He has an 18-month history of decline in mobility and struggles with balance. He now has a significant shuffling gait. Over the past 2-3 months, he has also suffered memory loss which has progressed rapidly.

After a series of blood tests, which were all normal, he went on to have an MRI scan of his brain. This showed hyperdensity of the cortical gyri and basal ganglia. He subsequently receives a diagnosis of dementia.

What is the most likely cause of his dementia?

Select the SINGLE most appropriate option from the list below. Select ONE option only.