Treatment of Frontotemporal Dementia at the Clínic

Hospital Clínic Barcelona has a multidisciplinary team focused specifically on the diagnosis and care of patients with frontotemporal dementia and family support.  

Every year, about 30 new cases of frontotemporal dementia are evaluated and about 100 successive visits are made to the Neurology Department external consultations. 

A patient with suspected frontotemporal dementia is initially referred to the Clínic. Here, a specialist neurologist asses the patient, and request additional test to confirm the diagnosis if necessary.  

These tests include: 

• Neuropsychological assessment of the performance of various brain functions. 
• Blood tests. 
• Lumbar puncture. 
• Genetic studies. 
• Brain MRI.
• Brain positron emission tomography.  

The Clínic has the equipment and experienced personnel required to perform and interpret these tests. 

Genetic Advice and Information Programme for Familial Dementia  

Genetic mutations that can be inherited from parents are responsible for 15-30% of cases of frontotemporal dementia. The Clínic offers relatives of patients, whose frontotemporal dementia is caused by inherited genetic mutation, a genetic counselling program for familial dementia (PICOGEN). This program provides expert genetic advice to people who may be at risk of inheriting a mutation causing familial dementia.  

Once the diagnosis has been made, the neurology specialist follows up the disease. Although there is currently no treatment to cure or stop the disease, there are treatments to control some of its symptoms. In successive monitoring visits, the suitability of initiating, continuing or stopping these treatments is evaluated.  

Day hospital 

Clínic patients can benefit from non-pharmacological treatment programmes. Every year about 4,500 therapy sessions are offered in the Sociosanitary Day Hospital of Neurodegenerative Diseases within cognitive intervention programmes to patients with cognitive impairment. These sessions include specific intervention programmes for patients with frontotemporal dementia:  

• Speech therapy intervention programme for patients with primary progressive aphasia language conditions (language disorders that hinder reading, writing and oral expression). 
• Occupational therapy programme for patients with the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia.  

The Hospital Clínic has nursing staff and social workers that specialise in medical and social problems that may appear during evolution of the disease.  

Finally, every year the Clínic organises days, intended as a forum, for frontotemporal dementia patients and their relatives to share experiences and form a community of patients, family and professionals dealing with the disease.