Frontal lobe dementia - Clinicopathological case reports

Frontal lobe dementia (FLD) is characterised clinically by personality chan ges and a progressive speech disorder finally leading to mutism. In the cou rse of the disease also other neurological syndromes may occur such as park insonism, a partial Kluver-Bucy-syndrome or a degeneration of motoneurons ( FLD + MND). The latter leads to death within about three years. The clinica l diagnosis of FLD is supported by functional (SPECT) and morphological (CT , MRI) investigations. From 1988 to 1997, 9 cases of FLD (6 female, 3 male) were clinically diagno sed at our department of Gerontology, LNK Lint. In two of these cases the c linical diagnosis was confirmed histopathologically. Characteristically, al l except one patients showed a presenile beginning of the disease. The clin ical course was slowly progressive with a mean duration of about 10 years. Special attention was given to additional signs and symptoms of motor neuro n disease, parkinsonism and hyperorality. Six patients suffered from FLD MND; parkinsonism (rigid-akinetic type) and a partial Kluver-Bucy-syndrome were diagnosed in 5 cases each. In histopathological investigations the inc idence of FLD seems to increase. This type of dementia should be considered as an important diagnosis differential of presenile dementia-syndromes.