In a puzzling and alarming case of neurological disorder, an 80-year-old man found himself trapped in an eerie loop—convinced that he was reliving the same thing over and over. His condition, a complicated side effect of Alzheimer's disease, has been reported in a new medical case report and adds to the understanding of an obscure phenomenon known as deja vecu with recollective confabulation (DVRC). This syndrome is much more than a mere bout of deja vu—it produces a pathological and delusional sense that new things are just repeats of old.

The patient's symptoms began in a subtle way. Initially, he complained to his e-book supplier of repeating the same material to him. Next, he complained about his TV, assuring it that the news cycle never varied. The deception carried over into his everyday life, as he saw what he perceived to be the same individuals, cars, and encounters every day. He spoke for himself as he described the eerie feeling. "Wherever I go, the same people are on the side of the road, the same cars behind me with the same people in them … the same person gets out of the cars wearing the same clothes, carrying the same bags, saying the same things … nothing is new.

In contrast to the transitory familiarity of deja vu, deja vecu is a chronic condition in which people feel as if they have previously experienced current events. Worse, individuals with DVRC fabricate false evidence to support their perception, a form of cognitive distortion called recollective confabulation.

This condition is linked to neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, where brain cells progressively lose function and die. While most people associate Alzheimer’s with memory loss and cognitive decline, this case highlights the potential for more complex and distressing symptoms.

What Causes Deja Vecu?

The precise mechanism of DVRC is still not understood, but studies indicate that it could arise in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that turns short-term memory into long-term memory. When the hippocampus does not function properly, an individual can have a chronic illusory sense of recollection, resulting in the repetitive, circular experiences characteristic of DVRC.

Surprisingly, deja vecu is not limited to Alzheimer's disease. It has also been reported in patients with:

• Temporal lobe epilepsy
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses
• Certain drug-induced conditions, such as overproduction of serotonin from supplements such as 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

Diagnosing a Rare Brain Disorder

Physicians conducted a comprehensive neuropsychological test on the man, which showed indications of memory loss, impulsivity, and cognitive deterioration. He also often combined discrete events into a single event, again demonstrating his skewed sense of time and reality.

More advanced brain imaging yielded further leads. Scans showed considerably diminished activity in the left temporal lobe, a part of the brain that is essential for handling sensory input and memory. In addition, frontal lobe abnormalities were found, with greater dysfunction in the right hemisphere of the brain.

Additional testing of the man's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed clear biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. He had reduced levels of amyloid beta-42 and borderline increased tau protein levels—both of which are characteristic of the disease.

Treatment and Disease Progression

The patient's physicians began a trial of immunotherapy, perhaps out of the sheer presence of his antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid. But when no clinical improvement appeared, the treatment was stopped. During the ensuing four years, his cognitive faculties continued to diminish, as proven by repeated testing with neuropsychological measures.

In spite of his deteriorating condition, the patient was still independent in daily living and stayed at home, indicating that DVRC, although deeply distressing, is not necessarily a complete dependency-producing condition.

What is the Little-Known Condition Known As?

The largest case series of DVRC ever documented included 13 patients, nine of whom had likely Alzheimer's disease. The other four patients had mild cognitive impairment or frontotemporal dementia. This man's case is special, though—it is the first reported case of DVRC in which brain activity was studied through imaging, cerebrospinal fluid was tested, and cognitive function was retested over time.

While no cure exists for Alzheimer’s disease or its complications, this case underscores the importance of recognizing the full spectrum of symptoms that neurodegenerative diseases can produce. With further research, scientists may unlock new ways to manage and treat these rare but profoundly life-altering conditions.

For the time being, the case of the man who lived the same day over and over on a never-ending cycle remains a haunting reminder of the intricacies of the human mind—and how its breakdown can change not only memory, but reality itself.

Health authorities in the UK have a new watch list of 24 infectious diseases that could pose the greatest future threat to public health. The list encompasses bird flu as well as mosquito-spread illnesses that may become common with rising temperatures from climate change. The list, which was curated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), does not include COVID-19.

The aim behind releasing this list is to steer researchers and health experts to invest in making more new tests and vaccines ot medicines in preparation. "This rating does not indicate which pathogen UKHSA considers most likely to cause the next pandemic, but rather those pathogens requiring increased scientific investment and study," UKHSA said in a statement.

Diseases Are 'Highly Spreadable'

Measles, which is a part of the highly contagious virus family Paramyxoviridae, is on the list. According to Prof Woolhouse, a novel measles-like virus would be highly spreadable and "impossible to control by even the strictest lockdown", making it "a threat far worse than Covid." Another significantly dangerous enlisted disease is Norovirus, also known as winter vomiting bug, which is wreaking havoc in the UK. Q fever, which is a disease caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii, has also been marked as a potential health threat.

Here's The List Of 24 Diseases

1. Adenovirus
2. Lassa fever
3. Norovirus
4. Mers
5. Ebola (and similar viruses, such as Marburg)
6. Flaviviridae (which includes dengue, Zika and hepatitis C)
7. Hantavirus
8. Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever
9. Flu (non-seasonal, including avian)
10. Nipah virus
11. Oropouche
12. Rift Valley fever
13. Acute flaccid myelitis
14. Human metapneumovirus (HMPV)
15. Mpox
16. Chikungunya
17. Anthrax
18. Q fever
19. Enterobacteriaceae (such as E. coli and Yersinia pestis, which causes plague)
20. Tularaemia
21. Moraxellaceae (which cause lung, urine and bloodstream infections)
22. Gonorrhoea
23. Staphlylococcus
24. Group A and B Strep

"Among the pathogen families where UKHSA is keen to see greater scientific strides made are the coronaviridae family, which includes Covid-19; the paramyxoviridae family, which includes Nipah virus; and the orthomyxoviridae family, which includes avian influenza. However, the reference tool is not a detailed threat assessment, and the list of families included in this tool is not exhaustive and the families are not ranked," the agency warned.

COVID On Decline

Besides this report, the UK health authorities also published 'The infectious diseases impacting England: 2025' report that marked a rise in both endemic disease and vaccine-preventable infections. "Infectious diseases were the primary reason for over 20% of hospital bed usage, at an annual cost of almost £6bn in 2023 to 2024. Developing scientific capability and effective interventions are having positive impacts, but more action is needed," it said.

This report also mentioned that COVID-19 transmission has declined, with the virus circulating at baseline levels of activity for much of the current winter season. Incremental vaccine effectiveness was around 45% against hospitalisation, with vaccine uptake in older age groups at 60% to 70%. Vaccination of priority groups, in particular the elderly, remained an important intervention to protect against severe disease.

Researchers exploring the underlying causes of autism have identified a surprising potential treatment—a widely used cancer drug. Leucovorin, a medication typically prescribed to reduce chemotherapy side effects, has demonstrated promising effects in improving autism symptoms. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, social interactions, and behavior.

Nonverbal Children Showed Improvement

Over the past 13 years, Dr Richard Frye, a pediatric neurologist from Arizona, has conducted multiple studies suggesting that leucovorin could help children with autism make significant developmental progress. Notably, some nonverbal children who received the drug have started speaking for the first time. Speaking to NYPost, Dr Frye said, "There isn't a single pill to cure autism, but leucovorin has helped many children. Rising Autism Rates and the Need for New Treatments."

Autism Has Increased By 175% In US

The prevalence of autism diagnoses has surged in recent years, increasing by 175% between 2011 and 2022 in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 36 children in the U.S. is now on the spectrum.

Experts believe this increase is due to greater awareness, improved diagnostic criteria, and expanded screening efforts. However, environmental factors and policy changes may also play a role, underscoring the need for innovative treatment options like leucovorin.

How Leucovorin May Help

Dr. Frye’s interest in leucovorin’s potential stemmed from research in the early 2000s that identified unusual neurochemical patterns in children with autism. Scientists discovered that many children with neurodevelopmental disorders had low levels of folate (vitamin B9) in their brains, a condition known as cerebral folate deficiency (CFD).

Further studies revealed that over 75% of children with autism had folate receptor alpha autoantibodies, which hinder folate transport to the brain. In contrast, only 10% to 15% of children without autism exhibited these antibodies.

To counteract this deficiency, Dr Frye began treating his patients with leucovorin, a form of folinic acid that bypasses the folate transport blockage caused by these receptors to counteract this deficiency. He finally concluded that the drug may help restore proper folate levels in the brain, leading to noticeable improvements in cognitive and social development.

Promising Outcomes In Clinical Studies

Many children who received leucovorin have shown remarkable progress. In one case, a child who previously sat in a corner experiencing seizures began interacting with family members and playing with a sibling after starting treatment. While not a cure, the improvements were significant. Dr Frye and his team continue to investigate leucovorin’s broader effects, particularly on social interaction and comprehension. Preliminary findings suggest that older children receiving the drug exhibit a richer vocabulary, improved language skills, and enhanced understanding of speech.

Among the many latest approvals, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Blujepa (gepotidacin) for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) in adult women who weigh 40 kg or more and for children who are 12 years and older and weigh 40 kg or more.

What Is Blujepa?

It is a first-in-class oral antibiotic which is approved for the treatment of uUTIs which are caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii complex, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and Enterococcus faecalis.

How Was It Approved?

The approval followed the results form the Phase 3 EAGLE-2 and EAGLE-3 trials. These trials were useful to demonstrate the medication's noninferiority and superiority, respectively, to nitrofurantoin, which is one of the leading current standard-of-care options available for uUTIs in women and pediatric patients. This is for patients with confirmed uUTI.

What were the results of these trials?

In EAGLE-2, the therapeutic success occurred in 50.6 percent of patients taking Blujepa compared with 47.0 percent of those taking nitrofurantoin. In EAGLE-3, the superiority was demonstrated for Blujepa versus nitrofurantoin, with therapeutic success occurring in 58.5 versus 43.6%.

Are there any side effects of Blujepa?

One of the most common adverse events that patients who have consumed Blujepa reported was gastrointestinal, including diarrhea, which was reported in 16% of the patients. Then came nausea at 9%.

The maximum severity of these side effects or adverse events were mostly mild up to 69% to moderate at 28%. Severe gastrointestinal events occurred only in less than 1% of all the participants.

"The approval of Blujepa is a crucial milestone, with uUTIs among the most common infections in women," Tony Wood, chief scientific officer of GSK, said in a statement. "We are proud to have developed Blujepa, the first in a new class of oral antibiotics for uUTIs in nearly three decades, and to bring another option to patients given recurrent infections and rising rates of resistance to existing treatments."

What Is Uncomplicated UTI?

As per the National Library of Medicine's National Center for Biotechnology Information, an uncomplicated UTI is a bacterial infection of the bladder and associated structures. Patients with uUTI have no structural abnormality of the urinary tract and no comorbidities such as diabetes, an immunocompromised state, recent urologic surgery, or pregnancy. A uUTI is also known as cystitis or lower tract UTI.

The presence of bacteria (bacteriuria) or white blood cells (pyuria) in the urine without symptoms does not indicate a urinary tract infection (UTI). Common UTI symptoms include frequent urination, urgency, suprapubic discomfort, and pain during urination (dysuria). While UTIs are common in women, they are rare in circumcised males. When they do occur in circumcised males, they are typically classified as complicated UTIs.

Many uncomplicated UTIs can resolve on their own, but treatment is often sought to relieve symptoms and prevent the infection from spreading to the kidneys. If left untreated, a UTI can develop into an upper tract infection like pyelonephritis, which can damage kidney structures and potentially lead to high blood pressure.

A UTI diagnosis is based on clinical history and urinalysis, with confirmation through a urine culture. Proper urine sample collection is crucial for accurate evaluation and diagnosis.