Frontotemporal dementia
Recognising behavioural variant FTD and the primary progressive aphasias, the Rascovsky criteria, why the MMSE and early MRI can be normal, separating FTD from late-onset psychiatric illness, the MND overlap, why cholinesterase inhibitors don't help, SSRIs and trazodone, and young-onset supports in Australia.
Tier 2Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- A group of neurodegenerative syndromes from frontotemporal lobar degeneration (tau, TDP-43 or FUS). Pathology and genetics (C9orf72, GRN, MAPT) are in Pathophysiology of non-Alzheimer dementias.
- A leading cause of young-onset dementia, with peak onset between 45 and 65. A quarter or so start after 65, where it is easily called Alzheimer disease or late-onset depression.
- Behaviour, personality or language fails first. Memory and visuospatial function are relatively spared early, the reverse of Alzheimer disease.
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Sources
- Sensitivity of revised diagnostic criteria for the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia (Rascovsky K et al. Brain 2011;134:2456-77)Brain, 2011 (still current in 2026)
- Classification of primary progressive aphasia and its variants (Gorno-Tempini ML et al. Neurology 2011;76:1006-14)Neurology, 2011
- Recommendations to distinguish behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia from psychiatric disorders (Ducharme S et al. Brain 2020;143:1632-50)Brain, 2020
- Paroxetine does not improve symptoms and impairs cognition in frontotemporal dementia: a double-blind randomized controlled trial (Deakin JB et al. Psychopharmacology 2004;172:400-8)Psychopharmacology, 2004
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - frontotemporal spectrum disorder (ALS-FTSD): revised diagnostic criteria (Strong MJ et al. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2017;18:153-74)Taylor and Francis, 2017
- Frontotemporal dementia (Bang J, Spina S, Miller BL. Lancet 2015;386:1672-82)The Lancet, 2015
- Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with DementiaAU/NZNHMRC Partnership Centre for Dealing with Cognitive and Related Functional Decline in Older People (Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre), University of Sydney, 2016 (a Monash-led update went to public consultation in 2026; check whether the final version is published)
- Updating the Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with DementiaAU/NZMonash University, 2026 consultation draft
- Phase 3 randomized trial of latozinemab in frontotemporal dementia due to GRN mutations (Simmons A et al. Alzheimers Dement 2026;22(10):e71947)Alzheimer's Association (Wiley), 2026
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (cholinesterase inhibitor and memantine listings)AU/NZAustralian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Personal emails, About story and Australian-style copy