Frontotemporal dementia: A different kind of dementia

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is an umbrella term for a number of uncommon illnesses, including Pickʹs disease, which affect the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain and produce a dementia syndrome that is quite characteristic but unfamiliar to most clinicians. It is the third most common cause of cortical dementia. An overview of clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management of FTD is provided with some specific information in relation to Pickʹs disease and a case example. Caregivers, in particular, need the education and support that could be provided by informed nurses.