Neuroimaging analysis revealed that some patients thought to have Alzheimer’s disease may actually have frontotemporal dementia, suggesting that more accurate screening tools for the two neurodegenerative diseases are needed.
HONOLULU—Patients with frontotemporal dementia can often have the same clinical presentation as patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Despite careful screening, about 15% of patients from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) have a cerebral metabolism profile more consistent with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), researchers reported at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. An incorrect diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can lead to a dilution of treatment effects and inaccurate trial results.
Dr. King and his colleagues analyzed the FDG-PET data of 97 ADNI participants with mild Alzheimer’s disease and classified the scans as either FTD-like or non–FTD-like. “Fifteen subjects had a pattern of hypometabolism consistent with FTD,” they reported.
The researchers also investigated whether other data, such as demographics, MRI structural information, and neuropsychological testing, could be useful in identifying patients with FTD. “Five of the six neuropsychological tests had statistically significant differences between the two groups,” the researchers stated, adding that the FTD-like group had a lower average hippocampal volume.
“Data besides the FDG-PET scan ... suggest that there are significant clinical differences between the two groups,” the researchers concluded, noting that additional research on the subject needs to be completed. “If there is a significant benefit in excluding those with an FTD pattern of hypometabolism, alternative enrollment strategies using FDG-PET as a screening tool may be advantageous.”
—Ariel Jones