Signs and symptoms of frontotemporal dementia can be different from one individual to the next. Signs and symptoms get progressively worse over time, usually over years. Clusters of symptom types tend to occur together, and people may have more than one cluster of symptom types. Behavioral changes The most common signs of frontotemporal dementia involve extreme changes in behavior and personality. These include: 
Increasingly inappropriate social behavior
Loss of empathy and other interpersonal skills, such as having sensitivity to another's feelings
Lack of judgment
Loss of inhibition
Lack of interest (apathy), which can be mistaken for depression
Repetitive compulsive behavior, such as tapping, clapping or smacking lips
A decline in personal hygiene
Changes in eating habits, usually overeating or developing a preference for sweets and carbohydrates
Eating inedible objects
Compulsively wanting to put things in the mouth
 Speech and language problems Some subtypes of frontotemporal dementia lead to language problems or impairment or loss of speech. Primary progressive aphasia, semantic dementia and progressive agrammatic (nonfluent) aphasia are all considered to be frontotemporal dementia. Problems caused by these conditions include: 
Increasing difficulty in using and understanding written and spoken language, such as having trouble finding the right word to use in speech or naming objects
Trouble naming things, possibly replacing a specific word with a more general word such as "it" for pen
No longer knowing word meanings
Having hesitant speech that may sound telegraphic
Making mistakes in sentence construction
 Motor disorders Rarer subtypes of frontotemporal dementia are characterized by problems with movement similar to those associated with Parkinson's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Motor-related problems may include: 
Tremor
Rigidity
Muscle spasms or twitches
Poor coordination
Difficulty swallowing
Muscle weakness
Inappropriate laughing or crying
Falls or walking problems
 Causes In frontotemporal dementia, the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain shrink. In addition, certain substances accumulate in the brain. What causes these changes is usually unknown. There are genetic mutations that have been linked to frontotemporal dementia. But more than half of the people who develop frontotemporal dementia have no family history of dementia. Recently, researchers have confirmed shared genetics and molecular pathways between frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). More research needs to be done to understand the connection between these conditions, however. Risk factors Your risk of developing frontotemporal dementia is higher if you have a family history of dementia. There are no other known risk factors.  

  




 


 
 By Mayo Clinic Staff By Mayo Clinic Staff 
Frontotemporal dementia care at Mayo Clinic
