Behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia

Title

Other Names:

Pick disease of the brain; Lobar atrophy of the brain; Dementia with lobar atrophy and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions; Pick disease of the brain; Lobar atrophy of the brain; Dementia with lobar atrophy and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions; bvFTD; Pick's disease See More

Categories:

Nervous System Diseases

This disease is grouped under:

Frontotemporal dementia

Summary Summary

Pick’s disease is a neurological condition characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of behavior, personality, or language.^[1] People with Pick's disease have abnormal substances (called Pick bodies) inside nerve cells in the damaged areas of the brain. Pick bodies contain an abnormal form of a protein called tau. This protein is found in all nerve cells, but people with Pick's disease have an abnormal amount or type of this protein.^[2] Symptoms often present sometime in the 50s, though it can occur as early as age 20 or as late as age 80. The course of the disease varies from person to person.^[1] The underlying cause of Pick's disease is unknown.^[2] In some cases, the disease runs in families. While there is no treatment to slow the progression of the disease, medications can be used to treat individual symptoms.^[1]

Last updated: 2/5/2013

Symptoms Symptoms

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms	Other Names	Learn More: HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Apathy	Lack of feeling, emotion, interest	0000741
Autosomal dominant inheritance		0000006
Disinhibition		0000734
Echolalia	Echoing another person's speech	0010529
Emotional blunting		0030213
Frontotemporal dementia		0002145
Gliosis		0002171
Hyperorality		0000710
Inappropriate laughter		0000748
Irritability	Irritable	0000737
Language impairment		0002463
Neuronal loss in central nervous system	Loss of brain cells	0002529
Perseveration		0030223
Personality changes	Personality change	0000751
Polyphagia	Voracious appetite	0002591
Primitive reflex		0002476
Sporadic	No previous family history	0003745
Stereotypy	Repetitive movements Repetitive or self-injurious behavior [ more ]	0000733

Showing of 18 |

Do you have more information about symptoms of this disease? We want to hear from you.

Last updated: 2/1/2021

Do you have updated information on this disease? We want to hear from you.

Diagnosis Diagnosis

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

Find a Specialist Find a Specialist

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

To find a medical professional who specializes in genetics, you can ask your doctor for a referral or you can search for one yourself. Online directories are provided by the American College of Medical Genetics and the National Society of Genetic Counselors. If you need additional help, contact a GARD Information Specialist. You can also learn more about genetic consultations from MedlinePlus Genetics.

Research Research

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

The Advancing Research and Treatment for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Consortium (ARTFL) is an integrated group of academic medical centers, patient support organizations, and clinical research resources dedicated to conducting clinical research on conditions that occur in association with frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The ARTFL has a contact registry for patients who wish to be contacted about clinical research opportunities and updates on the progress of the ARTFL research projects.

For more information on the registry see: http://www.rarediseasesnetwork.org/cms/artfl/Get-Involved/Contact-Registry

Organizations Organizations

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD)
2700 Horizon Drive, Suite 120
King of Prussia, PA 19406
Toll-free: 1-866-507-7222
Telephone: +1-267-514-7221
E-mail: info@theaftd.org
Website: https://www.theaftd.org/

Do you know of an organization? We want to hear from you.

Living With Living With

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

The Social Security Administration has included this condition in their Compassionate Allowances Initiative. This initiative speeds up the processing of disability claims for applicants with certain medical conditions that cause severe disability. More information about Compassionate Allowances and applying for Social Security disability is available online.

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) collects and disseminates research information related to neurological disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.

In-Depth Information

Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

GARD Answers GARD Answers

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.