title: Diagnosis and management of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.
abstract: Frontotemporal dementia was documented over a century ago. The last decade, however, has seen substantial changes in our conceptions of this increasingly recognized disorder. Different clinical variants have been delineated, the most common of which is the behavioral variant (bvFTD). Updated diagnostic criteria have been established. New histopathological findings and genetic etiologies have been discovered. Research continues to uncover molecular mechanisms by which abnormal proteins accumulate in degenerating brain tissue. Novel neuroimaging techniques suggest that functional networks are diminished in bvFTD that might be relevant to empathy and social behavior. Despite rapid advances in our understanding of bvFTD, the disease is still under-recognized and commonly misdiagnosed. The result is inappropriate patient care. Recognizing the various presentations of bvFTD and its histological and genetic subtypes might further diagnosis, treatment, and research.
authors: Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California. Electronic address: ppressman@memory.ucsf.edu.
authors: Peter S
authors: PS
authors: Pressman
authors: Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
authors: Bruce L
authors: BL
authors: Miller
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D057180:Frontotemporal Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans
keywords: Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia; FTD; Pick’s disease; bvFTD; frontotemporal dementia; frontotemporal lobar degeneration