Frontotemporal dementia: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a disorder that affects the frontal lobes of the brain, causing personality and behavioral changes and difficulty understanding and producing speech.

This type of dementia is one of the main types of neurodegenerative diseases, which means that it worsens over time, and occurs mainly between the ages of 45 and 65, and its appearance is related to genetic modifications transmitted from parents to children.

The treatment of frontotemporal dementia is based on the use of medications that reduce symptoms and improve the person’s quality of life, as this type of disease has no cure and tends to evolve over time.

Main signs and symptoms

The main signs and symptoms of frontotemporal dementia are:

Behavioral signs

• Personality changes;
• Impulsivity and loss of inhibition;
• Aggressive attitudes and irritability;
• Lack of interest in other people;
• Performing repetitive movements
• Preference for very sweet or fatty foods.

Linguistic signs

• Difficulty speaking or writing;
• Problems understanding what is said;
• Forgetting the meaning of words;
• Difficulty recognizing faces;
• Loss of the ability to articulate words.

Motor signals

• Tremors, stiffness and muscle spasms;
• Difficulty swallowing or walking;
• Loss of movement of arms or legs;
• Urinary or fecal incontinence.

These symptoms are usually noticed by family or people close to them, as the person is unable to recognize changes in personality and behavior.

Symptoms may appear together or the person may have just a few of them. They generally appear mildly and tend to worsen over time.

How to confirm the diagnosis

When suspicious symptoms of dementia appear, it is necessary to consult a neurologist who will carry out a clinical evaluation.

In addition, it is common for the doctor to recommend tests such as:

• Imaging exams: such as MRI or CT scans to check the part of the brain that is being affected;
• Neuropsychological tests: serves to determine memory capacity and identify speech or behavior problems;
• Genetic tests: consists of carrying out blood tests to analyze which type of protein and which gene is impaired;
• Liquor collection: indicated to identify which cells of the nervous system are being affected;
• Complete blood count: It is performed to exclude other diseases that have symptoms similar to those of frontotemporal dementia.

When the neurologist suspects other diseases such as a tumor or brain clots, he may also order other tests such as pet scan, brain biopsy or brain scintigraphy. See more about what brain scintigraphy is and how it is done.

Possible causes

The causes of frontotemporal dementia are not well defined, but some studies indicate that it may be related to mutations in specific genes, linked to the Tau protein and the TDP43 protein. These proteins are found in the body and help cells to function correctly, however, for reasons not yet known, these proteins seem to accumulate in different regions of the brain, altering motor, language and behavioral functions.

Mutations in proteins can be triggered by genetic factors, meaning people who have a family history of this type of dementia are more likely to suffer from the same brain disorders. Additionally, people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury may have brain changes and develop frontotemporal dementia. Find out more about what head trauma is and what the symptoms are.

How the treatment is carried out

Treatment for frontotemporal dementia is done to reduce the negative effects of symptoms, improve quality of life and increase a person’s life expectancy, as there are still no medications or surgery to cure this type of disorder. However, some medications can be used to stabilize symptoms, such as anticonvulsants, antidepressants and antiepileptics.

It is also important to include the caregiver and family in the treatment process. Some of the recommendations are to reduce the environmental noise to which the person with dementia is exposed, opt for activities that do not generate stress, spend time with a small group of people, practice regular exercise, as well as cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy.

As this disorder progresses, the person may have more difficulty walking, swallowing, chewing and even controlling their bladder or bowels and, therefore, physiotherapy and speech therapy sessions may be necessary to help the person carry out these activities. daily.

Difference Between Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Despite having similar symptoms, frontotemporal dementia does not present the same changes as Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, most of the time, this type of dementia is diagnosed in people between the ages of 40 and 60, unlike what occurs in Alzheimer’s disease in which the diagnosis is made mainly after the age of 60.

In frontotemporal dementia, it is also more common for behavioral problems, hallucinations and delusions to appear than memory loss, which is a more common symptom in Alzheimer’s disease. In the case of frontotemporal dementia, memory loss tends to occur mainly in the more advanced stages. Check out other signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.