A Unique Case of Post-Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Cerebral Atrophy and Its Implications on Alzheimer’s Disease

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been reported to cause glial scarring within a short timeframe. Due to the high mortality rate of SAH, there is limited research on its long-term effects and relation to neurodegenerative disorders. This report aims to investigate a combination of healed SAH and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pathology. A 90-year-old female cadaver, in the anatomy laboratory, was found to have an irregular surgical scar in the right frontoparietal bone. Upon dissection, the right frontal lobe was discovered to be atrophic with a concavity. Histopathology exhibited significant gliosis and corpora amylacea (CA). The cause of death was AD, and past medical history revealed an aneurysmal SAH during childbirth 60 years ago. CA and gliosis are common findings in aging, ischemia, and AD. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the long-term effects of SAH and necessitate further research on the pathogenesis of AD in relation to cerebral ischemia.