DEALING WITH FTD

The working of the brain continues to remain a mystery. And when it begins to lose its efficacy, it can lead to frontotemporal disease (FTD). Krishna Moorthy provides an overview about this ailment.

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Frontotemporal Disease (FTD) is defined, in simple terms, as impairment of or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration due to loss or injury to neurons (nerve cells) in the brain. It sets in when the healthy neurons stop functioning, lose connection with other brain cells, or die. Older people experience greater loss of neurons. It was earlier known as ‘dementia’, a word that comes from the latin root ‘dement’ which means ‘out of mind’. FTD is not a specific disease but a group of symptoms affecting memory, language, judgement, thinking, social activity, all of which interfere with normal daily activities. Memory loss or forgetfulness does not mean FTD.

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are diseases that cause FTD and are not synonyms for it. In India more than 4 million people have some form of FTD. The global count is 44 million. Alzheimer’s disease, one of the main causes of FTD, affects over 1.6 million Indians. It affects people differently depending on the area of the brain affected. It brings changes in a person in many ways even though the list may not be applicable to every case and the severity can also vary. Listed below are some of such changes:

Cognitive

• Difficulty in communicating, finding the right words or recognising people.

• Difficulty in reasoning and problem-solving; inability to retain or process information.

• Memory loss (cognitive impairment), which becomes pronounced with age and time.

• Difficulty in handling complex tasks and abstract thinking due to cognitive decline.

• Trouble with planning and organising, as for example, shopping.

• Difficulty with coordination and motor functions. Loss of physical ability to perform routine tasks like going to the washroom, bathing and dressing. This may also include rapid eye movements and balancing problems.