Frontotemporal dementia in older adults: Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges

FTD has a wide variety of clinical manifestations, and prominent behavioral symptoms may easily be mistaken for a primary psychiatric disorder. A thorough medical and neurologic evaluation is essential for diagnosis of FTD, and a clinical diagnosis can be made with a careful history taking, physical examination, head imaging, and neurocognitive testing. It is important to distinguish FTD from other dementias, as persons with FTD may have a shorter lifespan as compared to persons with other dementias. No specific treatment currently exists, although pharmacologic agents such as SSRIs and antipsychotic medications are used to control behavioral disturbances occuring in FTD. Management is primarily focused on control of behavioral symptoms, health maintenance, prevention of future problems, adaptation to changes in functional abilities, and caregiver support.