BRAIN ATROPHY IN FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA

Objective-To evaluate the pattern of regional brain atrophy in patient s with frontotemporal dementia by comparing it with that in patients w ith Alzheimer's disease and normal controls. Methods-Fourteen patients with frontotemporal dementia, 13 with moderate, and 33 with mild Alzh eimer's disease, and 31 controls were studied. Atrophy was evaluated w ith linear measures in the anterior brain, medial temporal lobe, and h ippocampal formation regions using MRI. Results-Patients with frontote mporal dementia had greater atrophy in the anterior brain regions than patients with Alzheimer's disease or controls. Atrophy of the hippoca mpal formation, which best discriminates Alzheimer's disease from cont rols, was present also in patients with frontotemporal dementia. By co ntrast, atrophy of the medial temporal lobe, which is also present in Alzheimer's disease, was absent in frontotemporal dementia. Conclusion -A pattern of atrophy in the frontal lobes and hippocampal formation w ith sparing of the medial temporal lobe might be distinctive of fronto temporal dementia. Hippocampal involvement might not be specific for A lzheimer's disease and specific patterns of atrophy might be distincti ve of some forms of degenerative dementia.