The Frontotemporal dementias are a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterised by progressive deterioration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain.
Unlike more common cortical dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal dementia often presents initially with profound changes in personality, behaviour, and social conduct, or with language disturbances, rather than with significant memory loss.
The major subtypes include the behavioural variant (bvFTD), marked by disinhibition, apathy, loss of empathy, compulsive behaviours, and poor judgment, and the language-led forms, known as primary progressive aphasias (semantic and non-fluent/agrammatic variants), which manifest as gradual impairment in speech production or word comprehension. Motor features, such as rigidity or motor neuron signs, can also occur in certain cases.
Frontotemporal dementia commonly affects people at a younger age than Alzheimer’s disease, often striking in the 50s or 60s. Recognition of the distinct symptom profiles of frontotemporal dementia is essential for accurate diagnosis, tailored care, and appropriate support for affected individuals and their families.
