Frontotemporal Dementia - Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

April 17, 2025

minutes

Frontotemporal Dementia - Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is the third most common type of degenerative dementia overall, but is second most common after Alzheimer's in those under 65 (called "early onset"). Unlike Alzheimer's, which is a fairly uniform disease, FTD takes on different forms and has different causes, all of which are characterized by shrinkage (atrophy) in the frontal lobes and front parts of the temporal lobes of the brain, usually visible on MRI.
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The three main types of FTD are defined by whether predominant difficulties are in behavior, expressive language, and speech abilities, or semantic skills.

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Treatment approaches

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‍Unfortunately, no proven effective disease-modifying therapies currently exist for any of the three types of FTD.

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The focus of FTD treatment is targeting quality-of-life symptoms:

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Developing consistent and effective behavioral, psychosocial and environmental strategies.
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Educating care partners on how to monitor their own health and well-being while adopting these strategies.
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Using targeted medications as needed for severe symptoms that disrupt daily life (such as anti-anxiety medication for marked restlessness or compulsive behaviors).

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Living with FTD

For Persons with FTD

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Structure and routine become essential.
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Visual cues and written reminders can help with daily activities.
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Simplifying the environment reduces confusion and overstimulation.
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Exercise and appropriate physical activities may help maintain function.

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For Care Partners

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Education about the specific FTD variant is crucial.
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Connecting with FTD-specific support groups provides valuable insights.
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Learning behavioral management techniques specific to FTD.
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Planning for future care needs early in the disease course.

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Learn more about the other memory disorders we treat at Neura Health.

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Navigating an FTD diagnosis requires specialized knowledge and ongoing support. Neura Health's memory specialists are ready to help you or a loved one with any of these issues, and offer video appointments within just one week, on average. Book a video visit today!

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David Weidman, MD, FAAN

Dr. David Weidman is a board-certified neurologist and advisor at Neura Health, with specialized training in dementia disorders.

About the Author

Dr. Weidman is an adult neurologist, fellowship-trained neurophysiologist, clinical research trialist, memory disorders specialist from Banner Alzheimer Institute-Phoenix (BAI-P), and a Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at Arizona University College of Medicine-Phoenix. He has served as the site-Principal Investigator at BAI-Phoenix within Arizona’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. He has relatively broad clinical and clinical research trialist skills, with expertise in diagnosing and staging mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease (AD), and related neurodegenerative disorders. Understanding whether and which interventional trials are appropriate for volunteers and patients--based on their clinical presentation, the nature of their cognitive symptoms and functional status, and comorbidities--has been another area of expertise he has developed.