CADASIL: case report

Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a hereditary cerebral arteriopathy caused by mutations in the Notch-3 gene. The diagnosis is reached by skin biopsy revealing presence of granular osmiophílic material (GOM), and/or by genetic testing for Notch-3. We report a case of a 52-year-old man with recurrent transient ischemic attacks (TIA), migraine, in addition to progressive sensory, motor and cognitive impairment. He was submitted to a neuropsychological assessment with the CERAD (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease) battery along with other tests, as well as neuroimaging and genetic analysis for Notch-3, confirming the diagnosis. Executive function, memory, language and important apraxic changes were found. Imaging studies suggested greater involvement in the frontal lobes and deep areas of the brain.