What is the life expectancy of someone with frontotemporal dementia?
The rate at which FTD progresses varies greatly, with life expectancy ranging from less than two years to 10 years or more. Research shows that on average, people live for about six to eight years after the start of symptoms but this varies widely.
How long can you live with frontal lobe dementia?
People with frontotemporal disorders typically live 6 to 8 years with their conditions, sometimes longer, sometimes less. Most people die of problems related to advanced disease.
What causes death in frontal lobe dementia?
Pneumonia is the most common cause of death in those who have frontotemporal dementia. They also are at increased risk for infections and fall-related injuries.
What happens to the brain in frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a common cause of dementia, is a group of disorders that occur when nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost. This causes the lobes to shrink. FTD can affect behavior, personality, language, and movement. These disorders are among the most common dementias that strike at younger ages.
Is there overlap between symptoms of dementia and frontal lobe atrophy?
An overlap between symptoms can occur as the disease progresses and spreads through the brain regions. Structural MRI scans often reveal frontal lobe and/or anterior temporal lobe atrophy but in early cases the scan may seem normal. Atrophy can be either bilateral or asymmetric.
Which is the most common area of brain affected by dementia?
The most common affected areas include memory, visual-spatial, language, attention and problem solving. Most types of dementia are slow and progressive. By the time the person shows signs of the disorder, the process in the brain has been happening for a long time.
What are the symptoms of frontotemporal dementia ( NIFID )?
Symptoms can include behavioural, and personality changes, memory and cognitive impairments, language difficulties, motor weakness, and extrapyramidal symptoms. NIFID is one of the FTLD-FUS proteopathies. Imaging commonly shows atrophy in the frontotemporal region, and in part of the striatum in the basal ganglia.
