title: The spectrum of recurrent thoughts and behaviors in frontotemporal dementia.
abstract: This article describes the spectrum of recurrent thoughts and behaviors that can result from frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and its variants. Although repetitive behaviors can result from a range of brain disorders, FTD is the most common neurologic cause of new-onset recurrent thoughts and behaviors in middle or late life. Patients with FTD can manifest typical or bizarre compulsions, hoarding, verbal and motor stereotypies and complex tics; self-injurious acts, perseverations; and fixed, obsessional thoughts. The frequency and variability of these repetitive behaviors suggest a common disturbance of orbitofrontal-basal ganglia circuits involved in response inhibition. The amelioration of these recurrent events with the administration of serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors further suggests a serotonergic deficit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. mmendez@UCLA.edu
authors.forename: Mario F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mendez
authors.forename: Jill S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shapira
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008559:Memantine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D012008:Recurrence; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019956:Stereotypic Movement Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D020280:Sertraline; D008559:Memantine