Is There a Test for Frontotemporal Dementia?

There's no single test for frontotemporal dementia. Doctors look for signs and symptoms of the disease and try to exclude other possible causes. The disorder can be especially challenging to diagnose early because symptoms of frontotemporal dementia often overlap with those of other conditions.

How do they test for frontal lobe dementia?

CT (computerised tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans are used to see what parts of the brain are most damaged. They can also rule out other possible causes of a person's symptoms, such as a stroke or tumour.

What are the first signs of frontotemporal dementia?

With FTD, unusual or antisocial behavior as well as loss of speech or language are usually the first symptoms. In later stages, patients develop movement disorders such as unsteadiness, rigidity, slowness, twitches, muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing.