Clinical recognition of frontotemporal dementia with right anterior temporal predominance: A multicenter retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION: Although frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with right anterior temporal lobe (RATL) predominance has been recognized, a uniform description of the syndrome is still missing. This multicenter study aims to establish a cohesive clinical phenotype. METHODS: Retrospective clinical data from 18 centers across 12 countries yielded 360 FTD patients with predominant RATL atrophy through initial neuroimaging assessments. RESULTS: Common symptoms included mental rigidity/preoccupations (78%), disinhibition/socially inappropriate behavior (74%), naming/word-finding difficulties (70%), memory deficits (67%), apathy (65%), loss of empathy (65%), and face-recognition deficits (60%). Real-life examples unveiled impairments regarding landmarks, smells, sounds, tastes, and bodily sensations (74%). Cognitive test scores indicated deficits in emotion, people, social interactions, and visual semantics however, lacked objective assessments for mental rigidity and preoccupations. DISCUSSION: This study cumulates the largest RATL cohort unveiling unique RATL symptoms subdued in prior diagnostic guidelines. Our novel approach, combining real-life examples with cognitive tests, offers clinicians a comprehensive toolkit for managing these patients. HIGHLIGHTS: This project is the first international collaboration and largest reported cohort. Further efforts are warranted for precise nomenclature reflecting neural mechanisms. Our results will serve as a clinical guideline for early and accurate diagnoses.