Martin Harssema, MD, is a board-certified anesthesiologist who formerly served the Malcolm Grow Medical Clinic and Surgical Center in Maryland. Additionally, Martin Harssema, MD, holds an interest in frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
FTD is a group of neurodegeneration disorders that affect the frontal and temporal lobes. While FTD is similar to Alzheimer’s disease, a number of aspects distinguish the two.
A progressive loss of brain functions occurs in both FTD and Alzheimer’s disease due to brain atrophy. However, the average onset is vastly different, with symptoms for FTD appearing at a much earlier age than Alzheimer’s disease. While FTD most commonly occurs between the ages of 45 and 65, Alzheimer’s disease usually affects people over the age of 65. The younger onset of FTD becomes particularly problematic for patients who develop speech and language problems, a typical cognitive symptom.
One key symptom of FTD that further differentiates it from Alzheimer’s disease is behavioral change. Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease may experience shifts in personality later in life due to memory loss. For FTD patients, behavioral changes are often an early sign of the condition as the frontal lobe atrophies. This area of the brain is responsible for inhibition control and behavior regulation, meaning that its deterioration can lead to impulsiveness, apathy, and socially inappropriate behaviors.
