Frontotemporal Dementia

Key Takeaways About Frontotemporal Dementia:

Frontotemporal dementia is characterized by the deterioration of functions driven by the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.
Frontotemporal dementia is more likely to be symptomatic at a younger age than other types of dementia.
A common characteristic found in those with frontotemporal dementia is nerve cell damage that could be caused by the abnormal buildup of tau and TDP-43 proteins.

Frontotemporal dementia is a type of dementia that results from the progressive degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It is more common in adults under 60 years old than any other type of dementia. Symptoms of frontotemporal dementia were first reported by Dr. Arnold Pick in 1892, and the disease was known as Pick’s Disease from 1926 until 1994, when it was renamed Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD (Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia, Israr Khan; Orlando De Jesus).

―Kathryn

Dementia Home Care Near Me, Louisville Caregiving Agency, Premier Caregiving

What are the Symptoms of Frontotemporal Dementia?

Because this disease targets two specific lobes of the brain, frontotemporal dementia affects decision-making, behavior, emotion, and language primarily. However, there are three different forms of Frontotemporal dementia, and each is characterized by a different set of symptoms.

Common symptoms include:

Drastic personality changes
Difficulties with language
Decreased energy and motivation
Inappropriate or impulsive behaviors
Emotional flatness or excess
Decreased balance
Increased clumsiness or difficulty moving

The Three Types of Frontotemporal Dementia

Behavior Variant Type Frontotemporal Dementia

Behavior variant type frontotemporal dementia, written as bvFTD, is the most common type of frontotemporal dementia. Individuals with bvFTD may keep their memory intact until late in the disease, but commonly start showing symptoms early in the disease (Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia, Israr Khan; Orlando De Jesus). Symptoms include:

Disinhibition
Loss of emotional reactivity and disease insight
Apathy
Impaired abstract thinking
Executive function that gradually worsens over time
Change in dietary behavior
Loss of fundamental emotions and empathy

Semantic Variant Frontotemporal Dementia

Semantic variant frontotemporal dementia also may not experience loss of memory until later in the disease, but will experience mostly language and thinking-related symptoms early, including:

Language difficulties characterized by paraphasia (impaired word-finding ability or loss of vocabulary)
Difficulty in understanding the meaning of words
Impaired comprehension
Difficulty in recognizing unfamiliar objects or faces
Fluent, but nonsensical speech

Non-Fluent Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia Frontotemporal Dementia

Non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia, written as nfvPPA, is characterized by difficulty in speaking, yet the meanings of individual words remain intact. Speech difficulties are the result of the deterioration in parts of the brain that control certain muscles. Speech is slow and effortful and may include mistakes such as omissions, incorrect grammar, and word order (Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) Subtypes, The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration). Symptoms may include:

Halted speech and paraphasia (jumbled words)
Difficulty in understanding complex sentences and naming objects
Loss of abstract thinking and calculating abilities

How Common is Frontotemporal Dementia?

Frontotemporal dementia is a less common form found around the world. In the United States, only about 5% of all dementia cases are diagnosed as frontotemporal dementia.

However, it is one of the most common forms found amongst younger people and accounts for approximately 60% of cases found in the 45-64 age group (Frontopemporal Dementia, University of Michigan Health). According to the Weill Institute for Neurosciences at the University of California San Francisco, it affects as many people as Alzheimer’s Disease in the 45-64 age group.

What Causes Frontotemporal Dementia?

Like other forms of dementia, there is no known cause for frontotemporal dementia. However, according to Stanford Medicine, researchers have linked certain subtypes of frontotemporal dementia to mutations on several genes. The most common is a mutation called C9ORF72, which was discovered in 2011.

The risk of frontotemporal dementia increases if a family member has or had FTD, if you have experienced head trauma, or if you have been diagnosed with thyroid disease (Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia, Israr Khan; Orlando De Jesus).

Frequently Asked Questions About Frontotemporal Dementia

What are other names for Frontotemporal Dementia?

Doctors sometimes use different names to describe frontotemporal dementia. These include:

1. FTD
2. Pick’s disease
3. Frontal dementia
4. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration
5. Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia
6. Primary progressive aphasia
7. Semantic dementia
8. Progressive non-fluent aphasia

What is the life expectancy of someone with frontotemporal dementia?

On average, the life expectancy for those diagnosed with FTD is 7-13 years after the start of symptoms (Fast Facts about FTD, Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration). FTD is a progressive disease, meaning that it may start mild and then become worse with time. The rate of progression differs by individual and can vary from 2-20+ years. As the disease worsens, complications can factor into life expectancy as pneumonia, infection, and fall injuries become more common.

Do people with FTD realize that they have it?

How is Frontotemporal Dementia treated?

Right now, there is no cure or prevention for FTD. Once the disease is diagnosed, the focus should be on managing symptoms. This can be accomplished by:

Maintaining a schedule, decreasing distractions, and changing the environment to help with behavioral issues.
Not arguing or reasoning with FTD behaviors. Try to recognize it’s the illness “talking” and accept rather than challenge people with behavioral symptoms.
Limiting choices, or offering specific choices instead of asking open-ended questions.
Speaking slowly and clearly, using simple sentences, waiting for responses, and asking for clarification if you don’t understand something.

How is Frontotemporal Dementia different from Alzheimer’s Disease?

FTD and Alzheimer’s Disease differ in a few key areas:

The Brain Regions They Affect: FTD targets the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain whereas Alzheimer’s Disease targets multiple regions of the brain, starting most commonly with the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus.
The Age of Onset: FTD is more common in younger people between the ages of 45-64. Alzheimer’s Disease is more common in ages 65 and older.
Symptoms: FTD symptoms are more heavily language, behavior, and personality driven as opposed to Alzheimer’s Disease, which is more memory and spatial-related in early stages.

Professional At-Home Frontotemporal Dementia Care in Louisville, KY

At Premier Caregiver Services, our professional dementia caretakers are equipped with all the right tools and training to help your loved one as they navigate the new language barriers and behavioral changes that come along with frontotemporal dementia. We specialize in unique care situations and will work with you regardless of the challenges that this disease might pose. No case is too difficult for us!

Our experienced caregivers will do everything we can to help offset frontotemporal dementia symptoms by engaging your loved one in life, keeping them and their space clean, and providing them with the healthy, engaging life that they deserve. Our philosophy revolves around unique care plans tailored to your loved one for the best quality of life they can have—in any place they might be— with our services:

You are not alone as you navigate a frontotemporal dementia diagnosis. Having a professional dementia caregiver by your side can help to mitigate the stress and complications that develop with the disease. To learn more and start your journey to private dementia care, fill out our complimentary assessment form or call us directly at (502) 718-8727.

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