Neurology Video Library
Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, refers to a group of neurological disorders caused by degeneration primarily involving the frontal and temporal regions of the brain. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, where memory problems are often prominent early, FTD may first cause significant changes in personality, behavior, judgment, language or communication—and it tends to occur at a younger age than many other forms of dementia.
Written and medically reviewed by Amarish Dave, DO, board-certified neurologist. This page is educational and does not replace an individual medical evaluation.
Symptoms vary depending on which brain networks are affected.
Some forms of FTD can also be associated with movement problems.
Alzheimer's disease and FTD are different neurodegenerative disorders. Memory loss is commonly an early feature of Alzheimer's disease. In FTD, early symptoms may instead involve behavior, personality, executive function or language, while memory can sometimes remain relatively preserved early in the disease.
Symptoms overlap, so this distinction alone cannot diagnose either condition. Other disorders—including Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia and potentially treatable conditions such as normal pressure hydrocephalus — are also considered during evaluation.
Because FTD can begin with personality, behavior or judgment changes, the initial symptoms may be interpreted as depression, another psychiatric disorder, relationship problems, or simply a change in personality.
A significant and progressive change in someone's usual behavior or personality— especially when accompanied by impaired judgment, language problems or difficulty functioning—deserves medical evaluation.
There is no single simple test that diagnoses every case of FTD. Evaluation may include:
Family observations can be particularly valuable, because someone experiencing behavioral changes may not recognize the changes themselves. Learn what happens during a dementia evaluation and what tests are ordered when evaluating dementia.
Genetics play an important role in some cases of FTD. A significant proportion of people with FTD have a family history of FTD or another related neurological disorder, and some cases are caused by identifiable genetic variants.
Genetic counseling or testing may be considered in selected patients, particularly when there is a strong family history or a relatively young age of onset. Whether testing is appropriate is an individual discussion.
There currently is no cure that stops or reverses the underlying neurodegeneration of FTD. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, maintaining function and safety, supporting caregivers, and addressing behavioral, language, movement and other problems as they arise. Learn more about how dementia is treated and how lifestyle can impact dementia care.
Explore memory loss and dementia evaluation, our frontotemporal dementia guide, dementia evaluation, cognitive testing, and the Memory & Dementia hub. Browse more answers in the Neurology Video Library.
More medically reviewed neurology videos appear here automatically as they are published.
Memory & Dementia
Amarish Dave, DO explains normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH)—walking difficulty, cognitive changes and urinary symptoms—and why it is a potentially treatable cause of dementia-like symptoms.
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Memory & Dementia
Amarish Dave, DO explains how Leqembi and Kisunla target amyloid, who may qualify, and why biomarker confirmation, MRI monitoring, and individualized risk review matter.
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Memory & Dementia
Amarish Dave, DO explains Lewy body dementia, including changes in thinking and alertness, visual hallucinations, movement symptoms, and acting out dreams.
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Memory & Dementia
Amarish Dave, DO shares practical, dignity-centered strategies for scheduled toileting, safer bathroom access, simpler clothing, and recognizing changes that need medical evaluation.
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Learn more about comprehensive memory and dementia evaluation at NeurologistCare.com. In-person neurological and memory evaluations are available in Crystal Lake and Woodstock, Illinois, and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, with telehealth available when appropriate for patients located anywhere in Illinois or Wisconsin.
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