Do I Have Frontotemporal Dementia?

Are you between 40 and 65 years old?

Do you behave in socially inappropriate ways and act in an impulsive or rash manner (e.g. making inappropriate comments about someone’s appearance)?

Did you lose interest in people and things (apathy)?

Did you lose empathy and other interpersonal skills, such as having sensitivity to another's feelings?

Do you show repetitive compulsive or ritualized behaviors, such as tapping, clapping, smacking lips, repeated use of phrases or gestures or collecting items?

Do you have changes in eating habits, usually overeating or developing a preference for sweets and carbohydrates?

Do you struggle with planning, organizing and making decisions?

Have you stopped taking care of personal hygiene?

Do you have difficulty recognizing familiar people or common objects?

Do you have difficulty in using and understanding written and spoken language, difficulty naming objects, expressing words, or understanding the meanings of words?

Do you have slow, hesitant speech which may seem difficult to produce?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have frontotemporal dementia. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a term for a group of brain disorders that affect the frontal lobes (the areas behind the forehead) and temporal lobes (the area behind the ears) of the brain. Frontotemporal dementia is caused by damage to nerve cells in the frontal and temporal part of the brain, which results in dramatic changes in behavior, personality and difficulty with using the language properly. This condition has similar symptoms to Alzheimer's disease, but FTD usually begins in a younger age (between the ages of 40 and 65).

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have frontotemporal dementia. Frontotemporal dementia is a brain disorder characterized by personality and behavior changes, language problems, problems with mental abilities and memory problems. Frontotemporal dementia is the result of damage and death of nerve cells in the frontal or temporal lobe of the brain. Over time, a large number of nerve cells die, and the brain tissue in these lobes shrinks. The symptoms develop slowly but gradually worsen over time. The diagnostic process can be difficult. This condition is often not diagnosed or misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or Alzheimer's disease.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Frontotemporal dementia is a range of conditions in which cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are damaged. These lobes of the brain controls behavior, emotional responses and language. People with FTD have trouble controlling their behavior, understanding the meaning of words, finding words or naming people and objects, or having difficulty pronouncing words. The cause of FTD is not known, and the changes that have already occurred in the brain cannot be reversed. However, medications and lifestyle changes can help relieve the symptoms.