Frontotemporal Dementia

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is another particular type of dementia, the most common one being Alzheimer’s disease. Frontotemporal dementia caused by degeneration of the frontal lobe of the brain and may extend back to the temporal lobe. Frontotemporal dementia was at first given the name “picks disease” by the psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer. Alois is the condition after a German physician called Arnold Pick, who helped him study this work about the different forms of dementia. Now this term is still used, but mostly it’s now given the name frontotemporal dementia.

Frontotemporal dementia affects both men and women alike. Generally, the dementia is found in people in their fifties and sixties, but it has been known to be diagnosed with this terrible dementia for people in their forties. There is also a risk factor of you developing frontotemporal disease if there is already a family history of it.

Frontotemporal Dementia

The symptoms and signs of frontotemporal dementia are mainly found in changes in character, mood and behavior, which include lack of awareness, apathy, increasingly inappropriate actions, lack of judgment, decline in personal hygiene, compulsive behavior and euphoria. In other cases people will experience signs of being obstinate, irritable, selfish, inconsiderate, rigidity, lose their inhibitions, difficulty in walking, muscle weakness or tremors, and exhibit antisocial behavior.

The way to diagnose frontotemporal dementia is to have a catscan (computed tomograhy) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan done. Catscan and MRI scans are carried out to see if there is any degeneration of the thalamus, corpus striatum and any other subcortical structures that may occur. The doctor will be able to tell if the nerve cells are damaged in the front part of the brain that causing a reduction in activity.

Although frontotemporal dementia symptoms are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, the medication which is given to Alzheimer’s sufferers, such as aricept, exelon and reminyl could actually make symptoms worse with increased aggression for a person who has been diagnosed with having frontoptemporal dementia.

There is no known cure for frontotemporal dementia. The doctor will check all of the available medication which you are currently prescribed to make sure that none of the medication is having an effect on the frontotemporal dementia.

The doctor will discuss with patients the different types of frontotemporal dementia medication. Hopefully the medication will improve daily functioning and a better quality of life. Your doctor might decide to put you on anti-depressants as these have been known to improve some of the symptoms the patient is going through. While disease progresses, patient used less and less language, until the patient becomes virtually mute. Other patients may have a severe problem recalling and understanding word meaning, but continue to have otherwise normal speech.

Frontotemporal Dementia

If you find yourself either thinking have you got frontotemporal dementia or somebody you know and love is suffering with it, seek medical advice immediately. You’ll need to learn and understand how frontotemporal dementia is going to affect you, your friend and the rest of your family. You will need to understand how best to take care of the patient and their needs.