Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a form of dementia that mainly affects younger people, between the ages of 45 and 64. Most dementia diagnoses in people younger than 65 are about FTD. The first symptoms you may notice are changes in behavior, language and motor skills, as well as problems with executive functions (for example planning and organizing). Memory loss, which you typically associate with dementia, only occurs at a later stage.
FTD is located in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. The frontal lobe is that part of the brain that regulates behavior, draws up plans, makes decisions, coordinates actions,… The temporal lobe plays a major role in our language and speech.
Because the first symptoms of FTD are different from other forms of dementia, and because the disease mainly occurs in younger people, it can take a long time before the diagnosis is made. Patients with FTD are often misdiagnosed, such as depression, bipolar disorder or Parkinson’s.
The course of FTD is unpredictable. In some patients the disease progresses quickly, in others gradually. According to the US National Institute on Aging, patients live an average of 6 to 8 years after diagnosis.
2023-09-26 09:44:00
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