Frontotemporal disorder: clinical features and pathology

¶ … disorders discussed in the text was the frontotemporal dementia. This is an interesting disorder in that it can affect three different areas. This neurological disorder presents itself through "three clincal subtypes that present with either changes in behavior (behavior variant FTD (bvFTD)) or changes in language (semantic dementia (SD)) and progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA)) (Rascovsky, Hodges, Knopman, Mendez, Kramer, 2011; Gorno- Tempini, Hillis, Weintraub, Kertesz, Mendez, 2011). Patients who develop FTD usually do so in their 50's or 60's and the signs displayed depend on what subtype the disorder takes.

Until recently, FTD was considered a relatively rare disorder but according to the text it now is considered prevalent in 40-60% of neurological disorders. According to the website created by Alzheimer Organization "there is no single test - or any combination of tests - that can conclusively diagnose frontotemporal dementia" (Frontotemporal Dementia, 2013). Rather than tests, FTD is more a clinical diagnosis calling on the expertise of the psychologist to determine whether it is present or not. The Alzheimer Organization recommends that and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) be conducted because it can play "a key role in diagnosis because it can detect shrinkage in the brain's frontal and temporal lobes, which is a hallmark of FTD" (Frontotemporal Dementia, 2013).

Like many of the dementia disorders, FTD shortens the affected individual's life, usually by an average of seven years. Treating dementia is accomplished by focusing on the symptons, and managing behavior. This can be accomplished in two manners; the first is through behavioral by addressing the behavior of the patient and using techniques to assist the patient in modifying behavior through comprehension.

The humanistic approach allows for antipsychotic medicines that address protein abnormalities. In Chapter 3 of the text we discover that "when the electrical impulse from the action potential reaches the end of the axon, it signals the terminal buttons to release neurotransmitters into the synapse" (p. 65). The frontotemporal disorder causes the patient to confuse the neurological signals. Using drugs to address the confusion is on manner of treatment.

According to the Alzheimers Organization there are also "new treatments aimed at underlying disease processes" (Frontotemporal Dementi, 2013). Antidepressants often seem to help as well. A specific technique that can be used during treatment, according to the text, is the signal detection analysis (chap. 4). The signal detection analysis allows the psychologist to understand exactly how the patient is receiving, perceiving, and distinguishing between "true signals and background noise" (chap 4).