Autonomic dysfunction and hypothalamic atrophy in frontotemporal dementia and primary psychiatric disorders

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Autonomic symptoms in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) may be linked to hypothalamic pathology.
• Investigating autonomic symptoms, hypothalamic volumes, and their associations in FTD, primary psychiatric disorders (PPD), and controls.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare autonomic symptoms between FTD, PPD, and control groups.
• To measure and compare hypothalamic volumes across the three groups.
• To explore the relationship between autonomic symptoms and hypothalamic volumes in FTD.

Main Methods:

• Autonomic Symptoms Questionnaire (ASQ) data collected from 31 FTD, 30 PPD, and 30 control participants.
• MRI data analyzed using deep learning from 259 FTD, 44 PPD, and 62 control participants.
• Comparison of cardiovascular symptoms, thermoregulation, and pain perception between groups.

Main Results:

• FTD and PPD groups reported more cardiovascular symptoms than controls.
• FTD patients exhibited greater thermodysregulation and altered pain perception compared to PPD and controls.
• FTD was associated with smaller hypothalamic subregions, with correlations found between autonomic symptoms and hypothalamic volumes.

Conclusions:

• FTD patients present with increased autonomic symptoms across multiple domains compared to PPD and controls.
• FTD is characterized by reduced regional hypothalamic volume.
• Findings suggest a link between hypothalamic structural changes and autonomic dysfunction in FTD.