FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA

TYPES

• Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia

This major type of frontotemporal dementia indicates prominent changes in behavior and personality. Usually, it occurs to people ages between 50 and 60 and, in some instances, can occur to people ages 20s and 80s. This type of disease, the patient usually loses control of their judgment, conduct, empathy, and foresight ability.

• Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)

This second major type of frontotemporal dementia usually influences writing, speaking, comprehension, and other language skills. It usually occurs from age 65 and up. 

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of this disease can greatly vary between individuals. These symptoms tend to progress over time and usually take years.

Many signs and symptoms typically occur together, and some people may experience more than one cluster of symptom types.

Behavioral changes

The most usual signs and symptoms of this disease are dramatic changes in personality and behavior, and some of these are:

• Eating inedible objects
• Increase in inappropriate social behavior
• Lack of interest 
• Speech and language problems
• Lack of judgment
• A decline in personal hygiene
• Loss of interpersonal skills
• Repetitive, compulsive behavior
• Changes in eating habits

Movement disorders

Rare signs and symptoms of this disease affect movement, and these are:

Movement-related problems may include:

• Uncontrolled laughing or crying
• Poor coordination
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Rigidity
• Muscle spasms
• Tremor
• Muscle weakness

Other signs and symptoms of frontotemporal dementia affect language skills. These includes:

• Having trouble in sentence construction
• Can no longer know the meaning of words
• Increased difficulty in using and understanding written and spoken language 
• Trouble naming things

DIAGNOSIS

Usually, the diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia is based on a well-acquainted doctor’s professional evaluation with these disorders.

Test results of neurological exams and the type of problems the patient is experiencing are based on the diagnosis.

Brain scans such as glucose positron emission scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are additional tests that can help diagnose the disorder. However, it must be interpreted in connection to the patient’s history and neurological exam.

TREATMENT

Presently, there is still no specialized treatment or cure for frontotemporal dementia. Medical treatment and drugs used for treating Alzheimer’s disease don’t work for frontotemporal dementia, and in some cases, these treatments and drugs worsen the signs and symptoms of this disease.

However, speech therapy and certain medications may help manage some symptoms of this disease.