Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, is a rare form of dementia, that tends to occur at a younger age than other forms of dementia. About 60% of people with FTD are diagnosed between the ages of 45 and 64.
FTD and related disorders gradually damage the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes. The frontal and temporal lobes in the brain are involved in behavior, movement, language, and emotion. In FTD, nerve cells in these lobes stop working
properly.
Symptoms of FTD vary from person to person, and may include changes in personality and behavior, difficulty moving, and trouble communicating. As the disease progresses, symptoms get worse and new symptoms may appear. The three main types of frontotemporal disorders are behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, FTD-related movement disorders, and primary
progressive aphasia. Behavioral variant FTD causes changes in personality, behavior, and judgment.
A person may have problems doing tasks withmultiple steps and may become frustrated, act inappropriately, or become disinterested in people and activities they used to care about. People with movement disorders related to FTD may walk more slowly or stiffly, have shaky hands, or be unable to make common motions, such as using a fork. Primary progressive aphasia is a type of frontotemporal
disorder that makes it difficult to use language.
A person may lose their ability to speak, read, write, or understand what others are saying. Scientists are still studying what causes FTD. People with the disease have abnormal amounts of tau and TDP-43 proteins inside nerve cells in their brain. In most cases, the cause of this buildup is unknown. However, changes in genes may also lead to FTD. People with a family history of FTD are more likely to have a genetic form of the disease. FTD can be hard to diagnose because symptoms
are similar to other conditions. If you have a have a family history of FTD or are experiencing changes in personality, behavior, or movement, talk with a doctor. While there is no cure, there may be ways to help manage the symptoms.
