Who is the youngest person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease?

The youngest documented case is a 19-year-old male in China, identified in early 2026.

What are the symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer's in the 19-year-old patient?

The patient experienced memory decline starting at age 17, including forgetting daily events and misplacing items.

Why is the 19-year-old's Alzheimer's case unusual?

This case is unusual because the patient has no known genetic mutations typically associated with early-onset Alzheimer's.

Home / Science / World's Youngest Alzheimer's Patient Diagnosed at 19

World's Youngest Alzheimer's Patient Diagnosed at 19

10 Jan

•

Summary

A 19-year-old has the world's youngest documented Alzheimer's case.
No known genetic mutations were found in the young patient.
The teen experienced memory decline starting at age 17.

World's Youngest Alzheimer's Patient Diagnosed at 19

A 19-year-old patient in China has been diagnosed with the youngest case of Alzheimer's disease ever recorded, a development that has perplexed medical professionals. The individual began exhibiting symptoms of memory decline at the age of 17, struggling with daily recall and frequently misplacing belongings.

Subsequent medical evaluations, including brain scans and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, revealed significant hippocampal shrinkage and elevated levels of tau proteins, along with abnormal amyloid protein ratios. Despite meeting the diagnostic criteria for probable Alzheimer's dementia, genetic testing found no mutations commonly linked to early-onset forms of the disease, such as PSEN1 or PSEN2.

This unprecedented case, described as 'sporadic,' highlights potential unknown factors contributing to Alzheimer's development in young individuals. Researchers are now focused on exploring undiscovered genetic influences, unique environmental interactions, or novel disease pathways to understand how this devastating condition manifested so early without a clear genetic predisposition.