Compulsive Behaviors and Presenting Symptoms of Frontotemporal Dementia

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 18(6); 2000 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2000;18(6): 681-686.

전두측두엽 치매의 강박적 행동과 초기 증상

윤수진, 정지향이강수진이나덕렬

성균관대학교 의과대학 삼성서울병원 신경과

Compulsive Behaviors and Presenting Symptoms of Frontotemporal Dementia

Soo Jin Yoon, Jee Hyang Jeong, Sue Jin Kang, Duk L. Na

Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine

Abstract

Background : It is not uncommon to misdiagnose frontotemporal dementia (FTD) because it presents with alterations in personality and behavior rather than cognitive decline. Since compulsive behavior is one of the common early mani-festations of FTD, analysis of compulsive behaviors, together with presenting symptoms, would help diagnose FTD in its early stage. Methods : Subjects consisted of 25 patients (5 men and 20 women with mean age of 56 ±9 years) who met the FTD criteria proposed by the Lund and Manchester group. We analyzed their presenting symptoms and com-pulsive behaviors retrospectively. Results : The presenting symptoms were variable, including inappropriate judgement, loss of spontaneity, memory disturbance, personality change, apathy, repetitive movements, hypersexuality, and parsi-mony. Twenty-two out of the 25 patients (88%) showed compulsive behaviors. They included reading signboards, stereotypy of speech, ordering, hoarding, washing, checking, counting, singing, and wandering a fixed route. Conclusions : Compulsive behaviors are commonly associated with FTD and thereby understanding of these symptoms together with presenting symptoms may help diagnose FTD early and minimize the misdiagnosis of FTD for Alzheimer’s disease or other psychiatric illnesses.J korean Neurol Assoc 18(6):681~686, 2000Key Words : Frontotemporal dementia, Compulsive behavior, Presenting symptoms