What is frontotemporal dementia? Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a common cause of dementia, is a group of disorders that occur when nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost. This causes the lobes to shrink. FTD can affect behavior, personality, language, and movement.
These disorders are among the most common dementias that strike at younger ages. Symptoms typically start between the ages of 40 and 65, but FTD can strike young adults and those who are older. FTD affects men and women equally.
The most common types of FTD are:
Frontal variant. This form of FTD affects behavior and personality.
Primary progressive aphasia. Aphasia means difficulty communicating. This form has two sub-types:
Progressive non-fluent aphasia, which affects the ability to speak.
Semantic dementia, which affects the ability to use and understand language.
A less common form of FTD affects movement, causing symptoms similar to Parkinson disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Symptoms of FTD start gradually and progress steadily, and in some cases, rapidly. They vary from person to person, depending on the areas of the brain involved.
These are common symptoms:
– Behavior and/or dramatic personality changes, such as swearing, stealing, increased interest in sex, or a deterioration in personal hygiene habits
– Socially inappropriate, impulsive, or repetitive behaviors
– Impaired judgment
– Apathy
– Lack of empathy
– Decreased self awareness
– Loss of interest in normal daily activities
– Emotional withdrawal from others
– Loss of energy and motivation
– Inability to use or understand language; this may include difficulty naming objects, expressing words, or understanding the meanings of words
– Hesitation when speaking
– Less frequent speech
– Distracted
– Trouble planning and organizing
– Frequent mood changes
– Agitation
– Increasing dependence
– Some people have physical symptoms, such as tremors, muscle spasms or weakness, rigidity, poor coordination and/or balance, or difficulty swallowing.
– Psychiatric symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, also may occur, although these are not as common as behavioral and language changes.
Treatment: Currently, no treatments are available to cure or slow the progression of FTD, but healthcare providers may prescribe medicine to treat symptoms. Antidepressants may help treat anxiety and control obsessive-compulsive behaviors and other symptoms. Prescription sleeping aids can help ease insomnia and other sleep disturbances. Antipsychotic medicine may reduce irrational and compulsive behaviors.
Behavior modification may help control unacceptable or risky behaviors.
Speech and language pathologists and physical and occupational therapists can help adjustment to some of the changes caused by FTD.
