brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Frontotemporal Dementia
Symptoms of Frontotemporal Dementia
Frontotemporal dementias are progressive, but how quickly they progress to general dementia varies. Generally, these dementias affect personality, behavior, and language function more and affect memory less than Alzheimer Disease does. People with a frontotemporal dementia also have difficulty thinking abstractly, paying attention, and recalling what they have been told. They have difficulty putting ideas or doing actions for a task in the right order (sequencing). They are easily distracted. However, they usually remain aware of time, date, and place and are able to do their daily tasks. In some people, muscles are affected. They may become weak and waste away (atrophy). Muscles of the head and neck are affected, making swallowing, chewing, and talking difficult. They may inhale (aspirate) food, sometimes resulting in Aspiration Pneumonia and Chemical Pneumonitis . Different types of symptoms develop, depending on which part of the frontal or the temporal lobe is affected. They include Changes in personality and behavior Problems with language People may have more than one type of symptom, particularly as the dementia progresses. Some people with frontotemporal dementia become uninhibited, resulting in increasingly inappropriate behavior. They may speak rudely. Their interest in sex may increase abnormally. Behavior may become impulsive and compulsive. They may repeat the same action over and over. They may walk to the same location every day. People with this type of frontotemporal dementia neglect personal hygiene. Some people with frontotemporal dementia develop Klüver-Bucy syndrome. Symptoms of this syndrome may include an increased interest in sex and/or a compulsion to pick up and manipulate random objects and put the objects in their mouth. People with this syndrome may suck or smack their lips. They may not be able to recognize familiar objects and people by sight. They may overeat or eat only one type of food. Most people with frontotemporal dementia have difficulty finding words. They have increasing difficulty using and understanding language ( Aphasia ). For some, physically producing speech ( Some people cannot understand language, but they speak fluently, although what they say does not make any sense. Others have difficulty naming objects (anomia) and recognizing faces (prosopagnosia). As dementia progresses, people speak less and less or repeat what they or others say. Eventually, they stop speaking. 