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Frontotemporal dementia. How to deal with its diagnostic complexity?
Annibale Antonioni1,2, Emanuela Maria Raho2, Enrico Granieri2
1Doctoral Program in Translational Neurosciences and Neurotechnologies, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, FE, Italy.
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
|February 6, 2025
Summary
Diagnosing frontotemporal dementia (FTD) early is challenging. New biomarkers, including blood tests and functional neuroimaging, are crucial for timely detection and treatment of this neurodegenerative disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder.
- Early diagnosis is difficult due to ambiguous symptoms and lack of distinct early neuroimaging patterns, especially in sporadic cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review established and emerging diagnostic tools for suspected frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
- To emphasize the need for a paradigm shift towards early detection using biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science.
- Review of diagnostic tools including fluid biomarkers, neurophysiological measures, and functional neuroimaging.
Main Results:
- Blood-based biomarkers may identify early neuropathological changes.
- Neurophysiological and functional neuroimaging can detect FTD-associated changes decades before symptom onset.
- Cognitive-behavioral profiles and atrophy patterns become apparent in later stages, aiding subtype differentiation.
Conclusions:
- A shift towards early diagnostic markers, particularly fluid biomarkers, is essential for timely intervention.
- Functional neuroimaging and neurophysiological measures are valuable for detecting preclinical changes.
- Home-based technology for monitoring subjective complaints and behaviors may aid early FTD diagnosis.
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