Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of three clinical syndromes associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD, which is in the over 65 age group probably the fourth most common type of dementia). FTD selectively affects the frontal lobe of the brain and may extend backward to the temporal lobe. The frontal lobe is located at the front of each cerebral hemisphere, positioned in front of (anterior to) the parietal lobes. The temporal lobes are located beneath and behind the frontal lobes. Frontal lobes have been found to play a part in impulse control, judgment, language, memory, motor function, problem solving, sexual behaviour, socialization and spontaneity. Frontal lobes assist in planning, coordinating, controlling and executing behaviour. People that have damaged frontal lobes may experience problems with these aspects of cognitive function, being at times impulsive; impaired in their ability to plan and execute complex sequences of actions. There are two main types of FTD: Pick's disease, which has been recognised for many years, and Dementia of the Frontal Lobe Type (DFLT), more recently described. The pathology of these two conditions is different although the clinical manifestations are similar. Symptoms of Pick's disease may include a decline in social behaviour, emotional blunting, apathy, changes in eating habits, attention problems, decreased insight, speech and language problems, and difficulty recognizing faces. Although Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia can sometimes cause similar symptoms, Pick's disease is more likely to cause certain deficits in behaviour and speech (such as disinhibition or loss of nouns), while memory and visuospatial function (which are frequently affected by Alzheimer's Disease) tend to be relatively spared. Also, the onset of Pick's Disease (usually between the ages of 45 and 65) is earlier than is normally seen in Alzheimer's disease. Frontotemporal dementia sometimes occurs with motor neurone diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
