what is frontotemporal degeneration

Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) is an umbrella term for a group of brain disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These areas of the brain are generally responsible for personality, behavior, and language. FTD is the most common form of dementia for people under age 60. FTD is caused by progressive nerve cell loss in the brains frontal lobes or its temporal lobes. There are several disorders that can result in FTD, all of which can affect middle-aged and older adults. The disorders grouped under FTD fall into three subtypes: behavioral variant FTD, primary progressive aphasia, and a less common form that affects movement, causing symptoms similar to Parkinsons disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Physicians and psychologists diagnose the different forms of FTD based on a person’s symptoms as well as the results of brain scans and genetic tests. FTD is frequently misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or as Alzheimers disease.