It is important to understand that people with these disorders cannot control their behaviors and other symptoms and lack any awareness of their illness. Family members and friends may think that a person is misbehaving, leading to anger and conflict. Also, the same symptoms can appear across different disorders and vary from one stage of the disease to the next as different parts of the brain are affected. In the early stages, it can be hard to know which type of FTD a person has because symptoms and the order in which they appear can vary from one person to another. Physicians and psychologists diagnose the different forms of FTD based on a person’s symptoms as well as the results of brain scans and genetic tests. Other terms used include frontotemporal lobar degeneration and frontotemporal dementia, but it's important to note that with some frontotemporal disorders, the primary symptoms are problems with speech or movement, rather than dementia symptoms. Here, we have used the term frontotemporal disorders to characterize this group of diseases and the abbreviation FTD, which is commonly used to refer to them.

One of the challenges shared by people living with these disorders, families, clinicians, and researchers is what terminology to use. What do the terms mean? Share this infographic and help spread the word about understanding different types of dementia. There is currently no cure for FTD, and no treatments slow or stop the progression of the disease, but there are ways to help manage the symptoms. Some people live more than 10 years after diagnosis, while others live less than two years after they are diagnosed. It is difficult to predict how long someone with FTD will live. As the disease progresses, other symptoms appear as more parts of the brain are affected. In the early stages, people may have just one symptom.

Roughly 60% of people with FTD are 45 to 64 years old.įTD is progressive, meaning symptoms get worse over time. FTD is rare and tends to occur at a younger age than other forms of dementia. Many possible symptoms can result, including unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work, or difficulty with walking. Where to find services for FTD diagnosis and treatmentįrontotemporal disorders (FTD), sometimes called frontotemporal dementia, are the result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.What are the types and symptoms of FTD?.

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