Fronto-temporal dementia/Pick's disease
Fronto-temporal dementia (including Pick's disease)is a relatively rare type of dementia usually affecting people under the age of 65. The term "fronto-temporal dementia" covers Pick's disease (frontal lobe degeneration) and dementia associated with motor-neurone disease. All these types of dementia are caused by damage to the frontal lobe and/or the temporal parts of the brain. The frontal and temporal lobes are responsible for behaviour, emotional responses and language skills.
People with fronto-temporal dementia may:
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Lack insight, lose the ability to empathise with others and appear selfish and unfeeling
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Become extroverted when previously introverted or withdrawn when previously outgoing
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Behave inappropriately, e.g., make tactless comments, joke at the wrong moment or act rudely
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Have a loss of inhibitions, e.g., exhibit sexual behaviour in public
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Become aggressive
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Be easily distracted
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Develop routines, e.g., compulsive rituals
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Overeat and/or develop a liking for sweet food
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Have difficulty finding the right words
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Lack the ability to have spontaneous conversation
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Use many words with little content
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Experience a reduction in, or lack of, speech
As with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, in the later stage of the disease, those affected may no longer recognise friends and family and may need nursing care. Fronto-temporal dementia is commonly misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease. A specialist may be able to make a diagnosis of fronto-temporal dementia by questioning the person affected and take a detailed history of their symptoms. Brain imaging scans may be also used to determine the extent of damage to the brain.
As yet, there is no cure for fronto-temporal dementia and the progression of the condition cannot be slowed. It is important to recognise symptoms of the disease have a physical cause; they are not something a person can control.
Click here to read an article for the UK Alzheimer's magazine "Living with Dementia" about a couple living with Pick's disease.
