Neuropsychological profile of frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration encompasses three different syndromes, with clinical and pathologic commonalities, making diagnosis difficult in early stages. Three subtypes are recognized: frontotemporal dementia and its three variants, corticobasal syndrome and supranuclear palsy syndrome. The objective of this study is to review the neuropsychological features of each syndrome in order to differentiate amongst subtypes as well as from other forms of dementia. We review multiple studies from the literature, highlighting the main clinical features, neuropathology and changes in brain imaging of each syndrome. Subsequently, we describe the neuropsychological profile compared to other dementias, and how it progresses over time. Although there is an overlap amongst the different subtypes of frontotemporal lobar degeneration, neuropsychological profiles can help identify subtypes and discriminate frontotemporal lobar degeneration from other forms of dementia.