FACTSHEET 3

What is behavioural variant FTD?

 
frontotemporal dementia

Frontotemporal dementia or FTD •  Loss of interest in sex

is a progressive disorder of the
brain. It can can affect behaviour, Becoming less interested in people
language skills and movement. – loss of empathy
•  Being less sympathetic to others
Behavioural variant FTD is one of than before
the subtypes of FTD. It is also •  Interacting less with people
known as bvFTD. The first •  W i t h d r a w i n g f r o m s o c i a l
symptoms are usually changes in activities
behaviour or a change in
personality. In the early stages Becoming more obsessive or
these changes may be very subtle repetitive in their behaviour
and not be noticed as abnormal at •  Being fixed in the way they do
first. things
•  Having to stick to routines
Symptoms can include: •  Saying things repetitively
•  Collecting or hoarding things
Behaving inappropriately –
disinhibition Changes in the types of food
•  Losing normal inhibitions eaten, such as sweet foods
•  Losing manners •  Increased craving for certain
•  Being more extrovert than foods, often sweet things
previously •  Food fads – eating one specific
•  Making inappropriate comments type of food
to people •  Binge eating
•  Acting more impulsively such as •  Increased consumption of
spending excessive amounts of alcohol or cigarettes
money •  Eating very quickly
•  More or inappropriate interest in
sex Usually the person will be unaware
of the true extent of their problems
Becoming less interested in things and lack insight into what is
– apathy happening to them.
•  Less motivation to do things
•  Being more passive than before As well as changes in behaviour,
•  Needing prompting to do there may be problems with
routine activities thinking as well:
•  Paying less attention to personal
hygiene and dress

What is behavioural variant FTD? – Version 1 Page 1 of 2

 FACTSHEET 3

What is behavioural variant FTD?
 
frontotemporal dementia

•  In the early stages of the disease A series of tests are usually

t h i s m a y b e p ro b l e m s i n performed including a scan of the
planning, organisation, making brain – see FACTSHEET 11 for
decisions or solving problems. more details.
•  People may have difficulty
concentrating on one thing and Is there a treatment for bvFTD?
seem very distractible. There is currently no cure for
b v F T D b u t t h e re a re s o m e
As the disease progresses important things which can help
problems with behaviour will tend when caring for someone – see
to become worse. However some FACTSHEET 12 for more details.
behaviours such as disinhibition
may become less of a problem. What is the prognosis of bvFTD?
The rate of progression is very
Other parts of thinking may also variable and can range from two to
become affected over time such twenty years. As the disease
as: progresses, people will need help
•  Finding the right word with most aspects of daily life.
•  Understanding speech Continence may become a
•  Remembering things problem and people commonly
develop problems with swallowing.
Does bvFTD run in families? Eventually nursing care may
In about a third of cases bvFTD can become necessary.
be a genetic disorder and run
families. What support is available?
Useful organizations that can
Mutations in the tau, progranulin provide information include:
or C9ORF72 genes are the most •  F T D S u p p o r t G r o u p –
common. www.ftdsg.org

See FACTSHEET 2 for more details
about familial FTD.

How is bvFTD diagnosed?
Usually a diagnosis is made by a
specialist rather than a GP. There is
no single test that will make a
diagnosis except in some people •  A l z h e i m e r ’ s S o c i e t y –
who have a genetic cause. www.alzheimers.org.uk

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