Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia in a 23-year-old man

Neurocase. 2023 Feb-Apr;29(1):6-13. doi: 10.1080/13554794.2023.2191858. Epub 2023 Mar 30.

Abstract

A 23-year-old man presented with behavioral disinhibition, stereotypies, motor apathy, flattened affect, and inappropriate laughter. CT demonstrated generalized cerebral atrophy. He was admitted with a diagnosis of unspecified psychosis and discharged on antipsychotic medication. He was readmitted 3 months later, was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and antipsychotic medication was continued. Owing to symptom progression and aggressive behavior, he was readmitted 2 months later. CT again demonstrated moderate central and cortical cerebral atrophy. MRI showed severe, stable atrophy with frontotemporal predominance, and he was diagnosed with probable behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Over the next year he rapidly deteriorated, with loss of cognitive abilities. Genetic testing revealed several variants, none of which are clearly disease-causing.

Keywords: Frontotemporal dementia; behavioral variant; dementia; early dementia; psychosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antipsychotic Agents*
  • Apathy*
  • Atrophy
  • Frontotemporal Dementia* / diagnosis
  • Frontotemporal Dementia* / genetics
  • Frontotemporal Dementia* / psychology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents