Welcome to episode 14 in my series of tiny talks about dementia.
Today I will be talking about Frontotemporal Dementia or FTD.
This is a rarer form of dementia,
Much less prevalent than Alzheimer's syndrome and vascular dementia.
It used to be known as Pick's disease,
Which was first discovered in 1892 by Arnold Pick.
In FTD,
The frontal and temporal areas of the brain are affected.
These are located behind the forehead and behind both ears,
Respectively.
Brain damage in these specific areas causes deterioration in behavior,
Personality and or difficulty with producing or comprehending language.
FTD usually occurs at a younger age than Alzheimer's,
Affecting people in their 40s,
50s and 60s.
Memory problems are not the initial symptom,
Because of the location of the progressive brain damage.
The frontal lobe is important for our personality,
Emotions and behavior.
The temporal lobes play an important role in processing language.
Many of the symptoms commonly associated with FTD are linked to these functions,
Such as changes in dealing with and expressing their emotions,
Struggling to speak or to understand,
And sometimes the behavior changes in ways that look socially inappropriate.
There are three subtypes of FTD.
Behavior Variant Frontotemporal Dementia is characterized by prominent changes in personality and behavior that often occur in people in their 60s and 50s,
But can develop as early as their 20s or as late as their 80s.
It affects brain areas that control conduct,
Judgment,
Empathy and foresight,
Among other abilities.
Primary progressive aphasia is the second major form of frontotemporal degeneration,
That affects language skills,
Speaking,
Writing and comprehension.
PPA normally comes on in midlife,
Before the age of 65.
Finally,
Disturbances of motor function include three disorders that cause changes in muscle or motor function,
With or without BVFTD or PPA.
First of all,
ALS or Lou Gehrig disease,
Which causes muscle weakness or wasting.
Secondly,
Corticobasal syndrome,
Which causes arms and legs to become uncoordinated or stiff.
And lastly,
Progressive supranuclear palsy,
Which causes muscle stiffness,
Difficulty walking and changes in posture.
