HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gislason, T B Articles by Skoog, I Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gislason, T B Articles by Skoog, I

The prevalence of frontal variant frontotemporal dementia and the frontal lobe syndrome in a population based sample of 85 year olds

The Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr T B Gislason, The Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Hospital, S413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden;
thorstgi{at}landspitali.is

Methods: A representative sample of 85 year olds (n = 451) in Gothenburg, Sweden was examined with a neuropsychiatric examination and a key informant interview performed by an experienced psychiatrist. A subsample underwent computed tomography (CT) of the head. The Lund-Manchester research criteria were used as a basis for a symptom algorithm to identify individuals with FLS and fvFTD. These were diagnosed blindly to the diagnosis of dementia according to DSM-III-R.

Results: A total of 86 individuals (19%) fulfilled the criteria for FLS, and 14 of them fulfilled criteria for fvFTD. There were no differences between men and women. Among those with FLS, 75 (87%) fulfilled DSM-III-R criteria for other types of dementia, mainly Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Among the 14 fvFTD cases, only five were demented according to DSM-III-R. Moderate to severe frontal atrophy was found in 93% of those with FLS (and in all cases with fvFTD), but also in 49% of those without FLS. FLS was found in 35% of those with moderate to severe frontal atrophy, and in 3% of those without these changes.

Conclusions: The prevalence of fvFTD was 3% in 85 year olds, which is higher than previously expected in this age group. Only a minority of those with fvFTD were detected by the DSM-III-R criteria for dementia. FLS was even more common, especially in those diagnosed with a dementia disorder.

Keywords: frontotemporal dementia; frontal lobe syndrome; prevalence; population study; computerised tomography

Abbreviations: AD, Alzheimer's disease; CT, computed tomography; EEG, electroencephalography; FLS, frontal lobe syndrome; FTD, frontotemporal dementia; fvFTD, frontal variant frontotemporal dementia; LMRC, Lund-Manchester research criteria; SPECT, single photon emission computed tomography; VAD, vascular dementia

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. M. Liscic, M. Storandt, N. J. Cairns, and J. C. Morris Clinical and Psychometric Distinction of Frontotemporal and Alzheimer Dementias Arch Neurol, April 1, 2007; 64(4): 535 - 540. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Rascovsky, D. P. Salmon, A. M. Lipton, J. B. Leverenz, C. DeCarli, W. J. Jagust, C. M. Clark, M. F. Mendez, D. F. Tang-Wai, N. R. Graff-Radford, et al. Rate of progression differs in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer disease Neurology, August 9, 2005; 65(3): 397 - 403. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Koeppe, S. Gilman, A. Joshi, S. Liu, R. Little, L. Junck, M. Heumann, K. A. Frey, and R. L. Albin 11C-DTBZ and 18F-FDG PET Measures in Differentiating Dementias J. Nucl. Med., June 1, 2005; 46(6): 936 - 944. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. K. Johnson, J. Diehl, M. F. Mendez, J. Neuhaus, J. S. Shapira, M. Forman, D. J. Chute, E. D. Roberson, C. Pace-Savitsky, M. Neumann, et al. Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration: Demographic Characteristics of 353 Patients Arch Neurol, June 1, 2005; 62(6): 925 - 930. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]