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Frontotemporal Dementia
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Prognosis of Frontotemporal Dementia

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Frontotemporal dementias are neurodegenerative diseases. This means that they have a progressive course. As the disease progresses, the process of neurodegeneration spreads to other parts of the brain. This causes existing symptoms to worsen, and new symptoms to appear. For example, if initially there is behavioural impairment, over the course of the disease disturbances in language and motor function may also occur.  

In general, we talk about three stages of dementia:

  1. Phase of mild dementia. The patient has difficulty performing complex tasks.
  2. Phase of moderate dementia. The patient struggles to perform simple tasks.
  3. Severe dementia. The patient is unable to perform simple tasks and loses their ability to walk and talk.

On average, frontotemporal dementia has a life expectancy of about 9 years from the time of diagnosis, but this can vary greatly between patients, and also depends on the initial symptomatology.

In the advanced stages of dementia, patients may develop urinary and respiratory infections as a result of incontinence problems and difficulties with swallowing food.

Chronic complications of frontotemporal dementia are the result of the disease progressing to other parts of the brain. Patients with language problems can develop behavioural problems; while conversely, patients who start out with behavioural problems can develop language problems.  

Also, patients with frontotemporal dementia often develop motor problems as the disease develops. These motor symptoms can be in the form of Parkinsonism (progressive supranuclear palsy or corticobasal syndrome) or in the form of muscle weakness (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). 

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Substantiated information by:

Núria Montagut Colomer
Sergi Borrego Écija

Published: 6 October 2021
Updated: 28 April 2025

The donations that can be done through this webpage are exclusively for the benefit of Hospital Clínic of Barcelona through Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica and not for BBVA Foundation, entity that collaborates with the project of PortalClínic.

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