Changes in dietary or eating behavior in frontotemporal dementia versus Alzheimer's disease.
BACKGROUND
Changes in dietary or eating behavior are common in dementia and may help distinguish between different dementing illnesses.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate and characterize differences in dietary and eating behavior among patients with early frontotemporal dementia (FTD) versus Alzheimer's disease (AD).


METHODS
This study administered the Food-Related Problems Questionnaire (FRPQ) to caregivers of 16 patients with FTD and 16 comparable patients with AD. The FRPQ was evaluated at initial presentation when patients presented for a diagnostic evaluation.


RESULTS
Compared with the AD patients, the FTD patients had significantly more changes on the FRPQ. Subscale analysis indicated that the FTD patients showed impairment of observed satiety, improper taking of food, and inappropriate responses when food was not available.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of food-related questionnaires, such as the FRPQ, can help distinguish FTD patients, early in their course, from those with AD and can further characterize the altered dietary and eating behavior.
Mendez
Mario F
MF
Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Mmendez@UCLA.edu
Licht
Eliot A
EA
Shapira
Jill S
JS
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015930:Diet Records; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D012528:Satiety Response