Overview
FTD affects the frontal and temporal lobes. Because memory can be relatively preserved early on, it is often mistaken for a psychiatric condition.
Common symptoms
- Loss of social awareness or empathy
- Impulsivity, apathy, or compulsive routines
- Changes in eating preferences
- Difficulty producing speech or losing word meaning
- Relatively preserved memory early on
How it progresses
Symptoms advance over several years, with growing need for supervision as judgment and language decline.
How it is diagnosed
Detailed history from someone who knows the person well, cognitive and language testing, MRI, and sometimes genetic testing given the family history in some cases.
Treatment
There is no disease-modifying therapy. Care focuses on behavior strategies, speech therapy, safety, targeted medications for specific symptoms, and family support.
What families should know
- Behavior changes are disease, not choice
- Financial safeguards are urgent because judgment is affected early
- Younger-onset families face work, insurance, and childcare pressures
Questions to ask your doctor
- Should genetic counseling be considered?
- What behavior strategies fit our situation?
- What disability and benefits paperwork applies?
Related resources
Medically reviewed. Last reviewed August 2026. This page is educational information, not individualized medical advice.