Frontotemporal dementia serves as an umbrella term for several different degenerative brain disorders affecting the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. The most common of these dementias is Pick's disease. FTDs are characterized by the disappearance of neurons in the frontal and temporal lobe, along with the development of scar tissues, which leads to shrinkage of the brain. FTDs are often confused with Alzheimer's disease, but occur earlier in life, usually between the ages of 40 and 70, according to the Mayo Clinic. No effective treatment or cure exists.
Behavioral Changes
The behavioral changes characteristic of many forms of FTDs include increasingly inappropriate social behavior such as cursing or lack of personal hygiene, as the individual loses the ability to control or inhibit her behaviors. The opposite may also occur, in which the individual becomes apathetic and demonstrates a total lack of any proactive behavior. His emotions may become blunted as he loses the ability to feel empathy towards others. There is also little self-awareness about the change in behaviors or how they might affect others. Stereotyped, repetitive behaviors may also occur, according to the website Association for Frontotemporal Dementias.
Language Changes
Language production and comprehension become difficult in patients with FTD, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Some patients experience progressive aphasia, in which they lose the ability to use or understand written or spoken language. Others experience semantic dementia, in which they are able to produce meaningful language that has no relevance to the current situation or discussion, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Cognitive Changes
Damage to the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain results in deficits of complex thinking and reasoning skills. These "executive functioning" abilities help a person plan and execute complex, multi-step activities. As a result of cell death in FTD, significant impairment in daily functioning occurs as the disease progresses. Symptoms may include distractibility, mental inflexibility, problem-solving impairments and poor financial judgment, according to the Association for Frontotemporal Dementias.
Movement Changes
Some less common forms of frontotemporal dementias afflict an individual's ability to move effectively, according to the Mayo Clinic. Movement problems may be similar to those seen in Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Symptoms may include tremor, rigidity, muscle weakness and poor coordination.
