Frontal Temporal Dementia

Frontotemporal Dementia

Kayla Sproul

03/06/2016

Pathophysiology & Pharmocolgy

Judy Harris

1. What is FTD and what parts of the brain does it effect?

FTD stands for frontotemporal dementia which is a dementia not commonly found. It is a disease that causes progressive destruction of nerve cells in the brain This disease may also be called “Picks disease” FTD used to be called Pick's disease after Arnold Pick, a physician who in 1892 first described a patient with distinct symptoms affecting language it can also be called frontal lobe dementia. This is known as a form of dementia that is characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of social skills and changes in personality leading to impairment of intellect, memory, and language known as comportment. The word frontotemporal refers to the two lobes of the brain that are damaged in this form of dementia. The frontal lobes of the brain which are situated behind the forehead control behavior and emotions, this happens on the right side of the brain. Also on the left side of the brain is where the language is controlled. The temporal lobes are located on each side of the brain they have many roles that is affected by FTD. On the left temporal side, these lobes control the understanding of words. Some refer to frontotemporal dementia as an umbrella term for a group of uncommon disorders that affect the temporal lobes. Frontotemporal dementia affects the brain at the front and temporal lobes. The temporal lobes are on either side of the brain, near the temples. They deal with memory and language. Everyday memory of personal experiences is linked to the hippocampus, which is inside the temporal lobe on each side of the brain. The hippocampus is important because of episodic memory and dementia. The outer part of each temporal lobe is where general knowledge is stored. The left temporal lobe deals with the facts, meaning of words and naming of objects. This lobe is also associated with speech and...