The Genetics of Monogenic Frontotemporal Dementia

Around 10-15% of patients diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) have a positive family history for FTD with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. Since the identification of mutations in MAPT (microtubule-associated protein tau gene) in 1998, over 10 other genes have been associated with FTD spectrum disorders, discussed in this review. Along with MAPT, mutations in GRN (progranulin) and C9orf72 (chromosome 9 open reading frame 72) are the most commonly identified in FTD cohorts. The association of FTD and motor neuron disease (MND) can be caused by mutations in C9orf72 and other genes, such as TARDBP (TAR DNA-binding protein), FUS (fused in sarcoma), UBQLN2 (ubiquilin 2). Multisystem proteinopathy is a complex phenotype that includes FTD, Paget disease of the bone, inclusion body myopathy and MND, and can be due to mutations in VCP (valosing containing protein) and other recently identified genes.