With FTD,
unusual or antisocial behavior as well as loss of speech or language
are usually the first symptoms. In later stages, patients develop movement disorders such as unsteadiness, rigidity, slowness, twitches, muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing.
How long can someone live with frontal lobe dementia?
People with frontotemporal disorders typically live
6 to 8 years
with their conditions, sometimes longer, sometimes less. Most people die of problems related to advanced disease.
What are some of the first symptoms noticed in frontal lobe dementia?
With FTD,
unusual or antisocial behavior as well as loss of speech or language
are usually the first symptoms. In later stages, patients develop movement disorders such as unsteadiness, rigidity, slowness, twitches, muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing.
What Causes frontal lobe dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia is caused by
clumps of abnormal protein forming inside brain cells
. These are thought to damage the cells and stop them working properly. The proteins mainly build up in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain at the front and sides.
What mimics frontal lobe dementia?
People with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are often misdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD),
psychiatric disorders, vascular dementia or Parkinson’s disease
. The early symptoms and the brain image are often the most helpful tools to reach the right diagnosis.
What are the first symptoms most likely to be seen in vascular dementia?
- slowness of thought.
- difficulty with planning.
- trouble with understanding.
- problems with concentration.
- changes to your mood or behaviour.
- problems with memory and language (but these are not as common as they are in people with Alzheimer’s disease)
What does frontotemporal dementia feel like?
Symptoms typically first occur between the ages of 40 and 65 and can include
changes in personality and behavior, progressive loss of speech and language skills
, and sometimes physical symptoms such as tremors or spasms. FTD tends to progress over time.
Is FTD worse than Alzheimer’s?
Key differences between FTD and Alzheimer’s
Memory loss tends to be a more prominent symptom in
early Alzheimer’s than
in early FTD, although advanced FTD often causes memory loss in addition to its more characteristic effects on behavior and language.
Is frontal lobe damage a disability?
TBI can damage brain regions associated with various functions resulting in impairments in consciousness, movement, balance, sensation and cognition. Frontal lobe injury has a particularly significant impact on an individual’s functioning,
ability to be employed and disability
.
How do you treat frontal lobe dementia?
Antidepressants
. Some types of antidepressants, such as trazodone, may reduce the behavioral problems associated with frontotemporal dementia. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) — such as citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil) or sertraline (Zoloft) — also have been effective in some people.
Does alcohol cause frontal lobe dementia?
Signs and symptoms
Certain individuals with alcohol-related dementia present with
damage
to the frontal lobes of their brain causing disinhibition, loss of planning and executive functions, and a disregard for the consequences of their behavior.
Is frontal lobe dementia hereditary?
Summary: New research shows that frontotemporal dementia — a rare brain disorder that causes early dementia — is highly hereditary. New research shows that a rare brain disorder that causes early dementia is highly hereditary.
Can dementia come on rapidly?
Rapidly progressive dementias (RPDs) are dementias that progress quickly, typically over the course of weeks to months, but sometimes
up to two to three years
. RPDs are rare and often difficult to diagnose. Early and accurate diagnosis is very important because many causes of RPDs can be treated.
Can an MRI detect frontal lobe dementia?
Brain imaging is indicated in all individuals with symptoms of FTD to rule out structural causes. MRI scanning will identify small vessel ischemia, subdural hematomas, strategically placed tumors and hydrocephalus. Additionally, the pattern of brain atrophy can support the diagnosis.
What disorder is most often misdiagnosed as dementia?
Lewy body dementia (LBD)
is the most misdiagnosed form of dementia, taking on average more than 18 months and three doctors to receive a correct diagnosis.
At what point do dementia patients need 24 hour care?
Late stage Alzheimer’s sufferers
become unable to function and eventually lose control of movement
. They need 24-hour care and supervision. They are unable to communicate, even to share that they are in pain, and are more vulnerable to infections, especially pneumonia.
