FRONTOTEMPORAL LOBE DEMENTIA

Course overview

FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA IS A NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDER CHARACTERIZED BY LOSS OF INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS MEMORY PROBLEMS, IMPAIRED ABSTRACT THINKING, REASONING, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, SEVERE ENOUGH TO HAMPER ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING. IT REQUIRES A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES. THE CLINICAL MANIFESTATION INCLUDES BEHAVIOR CHANGES, DIETARY CHANGES, LOSS OF EMPATHY, APATHY, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION. MEMORY IS INTACT EARLIER IN THE DISEASE COURSE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION, TREATMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.