Steady aging of the body leads not only to the inadequate functioning of most organs, but also to the violation of intellectual activity, which is expressed by different clinical signs. One of the forms of dementia is frontal-temporal dementia, characteristic for people over 60 years of age, and sometimes a diagnosis is made for people at a younger age.
When the disease affects the frontal lobes of the brain, which is expressed in inadequate behavior, loss of previously habitual skills, loss to the ability to acquire new knowledge and in blocking certain types of feelings.
Causes of frontotemporal dementia
Frontal - temporal dementia unites under one name several diseases characterized by similar symptoms, but different causes of occurrence.
The medical studies that were conducted could not fully establish the common cause of the disease, but led to the conclusion that the disease often occurs among relatives, with traumas of the cerebral cortex and with encephalopathy.
The reduction in the number of these neurons is associated with genetic mutations, vascular disorders, toxic brain damage under the influence of infections, long-term alcoholism.
Symptoms of frontotemporal dementia
Degeneration of cells in the front of the temporal region at the first stages of the disease leads to the occurrence of behavioral dysfunctions and to various verbal disturbances.
Violations in behavior are expressed in the appearance of inadequate actions, not typical for the patient in the years preceding the disease.
Relatives of the patient pay attention to the appearance of the following conditions:
- Inadequate behavior. The patient with ease can rude at usual dialogue, neglects the working duties, not seeing in it an occasion for trouble. Often when the frontal lobe is affected, there is a craving for theft.
- Absence of empathy, that is, a person ceases to sympathize and empathize with close people in the event of a difficult situation. Especially on this sign, attention is focused on when, before the onset of the disease, a person genuinely sympathized with grief, could support with the difficulties encountered, offer his help and participation.
- Increased distractibility. Ill go to the end does not bring the case started, infinitely changes plans and none of them brings to a logical conclusion.
- Excitation or vice versa, complete apathy to what is happening.
- Unconscious repetition of the same actions.
- Slovenliness - the diseased person ceases to follow himself, does not observe personal hygiene, rarely changes his underwear, begins to disregard his own appearance. This characteristic is characteristic even for those people who differed by excessive accuracy and cleanliness.
Speech abnormalities are also characteristic of the first stage of the disease and are expressed:
- It is difficult to select the necessary words to express their thoughts.
- Tolerance. Ill can talk a lot, most often the expression of one's own thoughts does not have a specific orientation, the topic of the conversation can endlessly change.
- Decreased speech activity.
Acquired skills - writing, reading, counting, professional manipulation for a long time remain without significant changes, the person perfectly copes with them without assistance. Does not suffer and orientation in space, memory.
Decreased memory capacity and memory disorders appear much later and are less pronounced than with Alzheimer's.
Late stages of the disease develop at the smallest in two years, in some this process takes more than ten years. With the involvement in the pathological process of all the larger neurons in front of the temporal region, all symptomatology is also amplified.
The patient ceases to fully control his behavior, there is debauchery, a demonstration of sexual desire, a disparaging attitude to the rules adopted in society.
Did you know that the cause of frontotemporal dementia can also be toxic brain damage that occurs as a result of alcoholism. Drops of "Kolme" from alcoholism are well established among those who suffer from this unpleasant disease.
The list of prices for drops from alcoholism of various manufacturers can be found here.
Diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia
The diagnosis of fronto-temporal dementia is made on the basis of examination of the patient, a conversation with him and his relatives.
The methods of instrumental examination include CT and MRI .
According to the received data, atrophy of anterior and frontal parts of the brain can be determined, this feature is characteristic already for the developed stages of the pathological process, with the appearance of the first symptoms may not be revealed. Also, the disease is characterized by a violation of the blood supply to the anterior parts of the brain.
Frontal temporal dementia is often confused with Alzheimer's disease, it is only possible to make a correct diagnosis after a careful examination of the patient, observing him in ordinary life.
Types of frontotemporal dementia
Frontal temporal dementia can be subdivided into several subtypes, the classification depends on the prevalence of one form or another of the symptomatology.
- Dementia of the frontal type. Frontal temporal dementia with Parkinsonism.
- Dementia with aphasia and disinhibition.
- A complex of degenerative disorders with a predominance of parkinsonism, amyotrophy, disinhibition. Amyotrophy is a gradual loss of muscle mass.
In each of the listed types of dementia of the frontal lobes, the most characteristic feature appears on the foreground.
The main stages of frontotemporal dementia
Frontal temporal dementia in diagnosis is divided into stages, the determination of which is based on violations of behavioral function and the appearance of symptoms of brain damage.
The first stage of disease - there is a decrease in self-criticism, the patient ceases to empathize and loses tact. There are no motor disturbances, thinking is disturbed, memory does not suffer
The second stage of frontotemporal dementia is the intensification of behavioral disorders, the appearance of the Kluver-Biysi syndrome( sexual and nutritional behavior is disrupted).The patient can chew constantly, with this smacks and sucks.
The absence of emotions in relation to surrounding people is registered, there are disturbances in speech, close attention to all subjects being within sight.
The third stage of the disease is characterized by further degradation of the personality. There are pronounced violations of thinking, problems with speech expression of thoughts, orientation in space suffers, the patient gradually loses acquired skills. Motor disorders are characterized by the appearance of parkinsonism.
Stroke is a fairly common disease among the elderly. All about the causes of cerebral ischemic stroke.
The list of consequences arising on the background of cerebral encephalitis can be found here.
Information about the clinics in which it is possible to make magnetic resonance imaging of the brain can be found by going to the following link: http: //gidmed.com/obsledovanie/ mrt-sosudov-golovnogo-mozga.html.
Treatment of frontotemporal dementia
Dementia of some forms is treated with acetylcholinergic drugs. For the treatment of frontotemporal dementia, they are not used.
The standard treatment regimen includes memantine, serotonergic pharmaceuticals .
Depending on the registered clinical signs, antidepressants and antipsychotics may be prescribed. The use of antidepressants can reduce the severity of behavioral disorders.
For patients suffering from violation of speech functions, mastering of alternative means of communication is shown.
Prognosis and life expectancy of
The lifespan of patients with dementia depends on the rate of degenerative changes occurring in the frontal lobes of the brain.
In the late stages, relatives have to watch the patient around the clock, as he does not report in his actions, which leads to a number of unpleasant situations, some of which can endanger the lives of others.
At the last stages in connection with muscular atrophy patients with a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia are forced to lead a lying lifestyle, which leads to bedsores and to stagnant phenomena in the lungs. These conditions in turn can lead to secondary illnesses and to a lethal outcome.
We recommend reading the video version of the lecture on the frontotemporal dementia: