Often Called Picks Disease
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is atype of dementiathat has often been called Picks disease.
FTD encompasses a group of disorders that affect behavior, emotions, communication, and cognition.
Arnold Pick first identified the abnormal tau protein collections in the brain (called Picks bodies) in 1892.
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Movement Changes:FTD often affects the ability to control movement and other motor actions.
Those with FTD mayfall frequentlyor have unwanted arm and leg movements or shakiness.
Interestingly, a person’smemoryandunderstanding of the space around themoften remain relatively intact, especially in the earlier stages.
FTD and Alzheimers also differ in how the brain is physically affected.
FTD also targets younger individuals.
The average age of onset for FTD is about 60 years old.
Frontotemporal Dementia Causes
The cause of FTD is not known.
Diagnosing Frontotemporal Dementia
Similar todiagnosing Alzheimers disease, there is no single test that can diagnose FTD.
Sometimes the behaviors of FTD are addressed with antipsychotic medications if non-drug approaches are ineffective.
Some physicians will also prescribe medications usually given for Alzheimers, including cholinesterase inhibitors.
Research, however, has not clearly shown these medications to be effective for FTD yet.
Prognosis
The prognosis of FTD is poor.
The cause of FTD is not known.
Genetics plays a role in some cases of FTD, but most cases appear to develop by chance.
A variety of tests are done to diagnose FTD and treatment focuses on controlling symptoms as best as possible.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.Fast facts about FTD.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Frontotemporal dementia.
National Institute on Aging.Types of frontotemporal disorders.Updated March 29, 2019.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.Diagnosing FTD.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.Disease overview.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.Genetics of FTD.
University of California San Francisco.Frontotemporal dementia.
University of California San Francisco.Familial FTD.
