Different patterns of magnetic resonance imaging atrophy for frontotemporal lobar degeneration syndromes

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is an uncommon degenerative dementia that presents with focal cognitive and behavioral deficits.

To determine the correlation of the different presentations of FTLD with structural neuroimaging findings.

In a blinded study, we retrospectively evaluated the clinical presentations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patterns of atrophy in 59 patients with FTLD and 26 patients with probable Alzheimer disease at a memory disorders clinic.

Analysis of variance revealed a significant difference in the patterns of atrophy in the FTLD and Alzheimer disease groups. Patients with FTLD presenting with altered personal conduct had significant bifrontal atrophy, whereas patients presenting with semantic dementia had significant left temporal and bifrontal atrophy compared with other groups. Disinhibited behavior and hyperphagia correlated with right frontal atrophy, and fluent, anomic aphasia correlated with left temporal atrophy.

We found that the type of clinical presentation of FTLD correlates with specific areas of atrophy. Our method of analysis may be useful to elicit further anatomic-behavioral relationships in degenerative brain disorders.