[Early manifestation of fronto-temporal dementia]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Geriatrics

Background:

• Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a primary degenerative dementia typically with onset before 65.
• Early-onset FTD, especially before age 30, is exceptionally rare.

Observation:

• A 22-year-old male presented with behavioral changes including social withdrawal, apathy, cognitive inflexibility, speech reduction, and repetitive behaviors.
• Neuropsychological testing indicated significant executive function deficits.
• Brain imaging revealed bifrontal atrophy and hypoperfusion on SPECT scans.

Findings:

• The patient's presentation and neuroimaging findings were consistent with frontotemporal dementia.
• Extensive workup, including EEG, evoked potentials, angiography, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, yielded normal results, ruling out other potential causes.
• This case underscores the possibility of FTD manifesting in very young adults.

Implications:

• This case expands the known age spectrum for frontotemporal dementia onset.
• It emphasizes the importance of considering FTD in young individuals presenting with progressive behavioral and cognitive decline.
• Further research into the genetic and environmental factors contributing to early-onset FTD is warranted.