Alzheimer's disease

There can be significant overlap between Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. In Alzheimer's disease disinhibition, overeating, loss of sympathy for others, and apathy are not usually prominent presenting features. More typical of Alzheimer's disease than FTD are the following:

• sparing of socially appropriate behavior,
• severe memory problems,
• difficulty with visuospatial tasks like navigation and
• a relatively normal neurological examination.

In FTD on neuropsychological testing, look for low performance on letter and category fluency tests, but better performance on the verbal memory subscales, block design test and drawing tests.

Use imaging to confirm orbitobasal (ventromedial) frontoinsular and/or anterior temporal atrophy versus parietal atrophy or more generalized atrophy.