Question

A young patient presents to your office with dementia. He has been involved in heavy drug use. He has used heroin, PCP, lysergic acid (LSD), amphetamines, and inhalants. If you were to postulate which most likely caused his dementia, which one would you choose?

A. Heroin
B. LSD
C. PCP
D. Amphetamines
E. Inhalants

Answer 1

PCP, a dissociative drug and NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist, is the most likely cause of dementia in a young patient with a history of heavy drug use, due to its potent and often irreversible neurotoxic effects.

Step-by-step explanation:

If we were to postulate which drug most likely caused a young patient's dementia, particularly in the context of heavy drug use involving heroin, PCP, lysergic acid (LSD), amphetamines, and inhalants, the most likely culprit would be PCP. PCP, or phencyclidine, is a dissociative drug originally developed as a general anesthetic but is now known for its powerful neurotoxic effects when abused. As an NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist, PCP has been linked to a variety of neuropsychological impairments and is known to cause cognitive defects and memory loss, which are characteristic symptoms of dementia. Both inhalants and amphetamines can cause cognitive deficits as well, but PCP stands out due to its potent and often irreversible neurotoxic effects, making it a likely candidate for causing the dementia in heavy users.