What is the difference between frontal lobe dementia and Alzheimer's?

While Alzheimer's disease generally affects most of the brain, frontotemporal dementia primarily affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain – the areas generally associated with personality and behaviour.

Is frontotemporal dementia a form of Alzheimer's?

Frontotemporal dementia can be misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or as Alzheimer's disease. But frontotemporal dementia tends to occur at a younger age than does Alzheimer's disease. Frontotemporal dementia often begins between the ages of 40 and 65 but occurs later in life as well.

How does frontotemporal lobar degeneration differ from Alzheimer's disease?

Frontotemporal dementia affects the frontal and temporal lobes, which are behind the forehead and between the ears and responsible for judgment calls in social situations. Alzheimer's, on the other hand, affects the hippocampus and the back of the brain, deep inside memory circuits.

How long does a person live with frontal lobe dementia?

People with FTD typically live six to eight years with their condition, sometimes longer, sometimes less. Most people die of problems related to advanced disease.

Can you have frontal lobe dementia and Alzheimer's?

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a type of dementia that happens because of damage to the frontal and temporal lobes of your brain. You've probably heard of Alzheimer's disease. It may be the most common kind of dementia.

What is frontotemporal dementia?

What are the early signs of frontal lobe dementia?

What is the most prominent symptom of frontotemporal dementia?

Symptoms typically first occur between the ages of 40 and 65 and can include changes in personality and behavior, progressive loss of speech and language skills, and sometimes physical symptoms such as tremors or spasms.

What type of dementia affects the frontal lobe?

Frontotemporal dementia affects the front and sides of the brain (the frontal and temporal lobes). Dementia mostly affects people over 65, but frontotemporal dementia tends to start at a younger age.

What causes death in frontal lobe dementia?

Pneumonia is the most common cause of death in those who have frontotemporal dementia. They also are at increased risk for infections and fall-related injuries.

What is a typical age of onset of the symptoms of frontotemporal dementia?

Behavior variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by prominent changes in personality and behavior that often occur in people in their 50s and 60s, but can develop as early as their 20s or as late as their 80s.

What disorder is most often misdiagnosed as dementia?

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is the most misdiagnosed form of dementia, taking on average more than 18 months and three doctors to receive a correct diagnosis.

Is FTD dementia hereditary?

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a highly heritable group of neurodegenerative disorders, with around 30% of patients having a strong family history.

How do you prevent frontal lobe dementia?

Frontotemporal dementia is a neurodegenerative condition that tends to strike people between the ages of 45 and 65. Researchers say lifestyle changes can reduce a younger adult's risk of getting this disease. Experts recommend moderate physical exercise, mental games such as puzzles, and quality sleep.

What is end stage frontotemporal dementia?

Late-Stage Frontotemporal Dementia

In the late stage, people with FTD look more similar to those whose dementia is due to Alzheimer's disease. Both language and behavior are affected and memory deterioration often occurs as well.

What are 5 extreme behavior changes found with FTD?

Social withdrawal, apathy and limited interest in family, friends and hobbies may become evident. At times, they may behave inappropriately with strangers, lose their social manners, act impulsively and even break laws. People experiencing these changes may become self-centered, emotionally distant and withdrawn.

What is a common treatment for frontotemporal dementia?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and similar medications. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are attractive agents for use in FTD patients as they have historically been successful in treating clinical symptoms in psychiatric patients that resemble some of the problematic FTD behaviors.

Does frontotemporal dementia show on MRI?

Atrophy or shrinkage of specific regions of the brain that might be suggestive of FTD can be identified by MRI.

Which type of dementia is the most common?

Alzheimer's disease, the most common dementia diagnosis among older adults. It is caused by changes in the brain, including abnormal buildups of proteins, known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles.

What causes dementia to progress rapidly?

Some possible causes include: Autoimmune diseases (conditions that over-activate the immune system) Unusual presentations of more common neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease) Prion diseases (rare forms of neurodegenerative disease)

Is there a test for frontotemporal dementia?

Genetic testing

A specialist may recommend that a person with FTD symptoms has a genetic test. This can show if the person's condition is caused by a specific faulty gene. Knowing this can help the specialist to make a more precise diagnosis and to better understand the changes that are happening in the person's brain.

Does FTD affect eyesight?

Using an inexpensive, non-invasive, eye-imaging technique, the Penn Medicine scientists found that patients with FTD showed thinning of the outer retina—the layers with the photoreceptors through which we see—compared to control subjects.

Can frontal lobe dementia skip a generation?

In approximately 15-40% of all FTD cases, a genetic cause (e.g. a gene mutation) can be identified as the likely cause of the disease and in most cases it is an inherited mutation.

Is Alzheimer's inherited from mother or father?

We all inherit a copy of some form of APOE from each parent. Those who inherit one copy of APOE-e4 from their mother or father have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's. Those who inherit two copies from their mother and father have an even higher risk, but not a certainty.

Does a person with dementia know they are confused?

In the earlier stages, memory loss and confusion may be mild. The person with dementia may be aware of — and frustrated by — the changes taking place, such as difficulty recalling recent events, making decisions or processing what was said by others.

Does a brain MRI show dementia or Alzheimer's?

“Can MRI show if I have dementia?” In fact, we scan patients every day with a diagnosis of dementia, memory loss, Alzheimer's, and confusion, among a variety of other neurological disorders. The truth is that MRI is NOT the test to formally diagnose dementia.