Frontal Lobe Dementia

Frontal lobe dementia is any type of dementia that develops in the frontal lobe of the brain. The most common type of frontal lobe dementia is a disorder known as Pick’s disease but it can result from other causes.

Frontal lobe dementia is also sometimes called frontotemporal dementia as it often involves both the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.

The frontal lobe is the front section of the brain which is involved in planning, organization, reasoning, emotion, parts of speech and some types of movement. The temporal lobe is located on the sides of the brain below and behind the frontal lobe and is involved in recognition, perception, auditory processing, memory and speech.

Pick’s disease, in particular is characterized by the presence of “Pick” bodies which are deposits of specific types of protein known as tau proteins in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Pick’s disease can only be accurately diagnosed on autopsy as it requires examination of brain matter to identify, however most cases are identified based on symptomatology and Pick’s disease is not necessarily the only cause of frontal lobe dementias.

Frontal lobe dementia is often seen as an early onset dementia as it most commonly strikes in middle years of ages 40 to 65 and can affect both men and women. Dementia of the frontal lobe has a progressive list of symptoms beginning with mild to moderate personality and behavioral changes, progressing through changes in activity level and ability to care for oneself.

Behavioral changes of frontal lobe dementia include symptoms such as:

• lethargy

• apathy

• impairment in social skills

• inappropriate or bizarre behavior

• mood changes

• irritability

• increasing frustration

Cognitive changes of the dementia of frontal lobe may include:

• lack of organizational skills

• memory loss

• inability to plan or sequence activity

• decreased judgement ability

• lack of recognition of threat

• language loss

Late stage frontotemporal dementia also commonly involves the reemergence of some primal reflexes that are present in infants but lost in early childhood such as:

• redevelopment of palmomental reflex (a chin movement reflex from hand stroking)

• redevelopment of plantar reflex (grasping or foot curling reflex)

• redevelopment of rooting reflex (nursing reflex)

Prognosis of frontotemporal lobe dementia involves a gradual worsening of the condition, with development of more symptoms over a period of years. The life expectancy of a patient diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia ranges from 3 to 17 years with an average of 8 years. Some patients decline rapidly over 2 or 3 years while others decline much more slowly over a decade or more. Unfortunately in the end stages of the disease, most patients will need 24 hour a day care as they will have lost the ability to care for themselves. Some patients will need 24 hour care much sooner depending upon their particular set of symptoms and how likely they are to perform dangerous activities such as forgetting the gas burners are on in the oven or wandering off from their residence.

Frontal lobe dementia has no currently approved medical treatment though serotonin boosting medications such as antidepressants may eliminate some symptoms. Little research has been done yet on dementia of the frontal lobe as it most efforts have been focused on finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. More research is certainly needed and perhaps medications used for other types of dementia will prove useful at treating this debilitating condition.