Case Studies
Case 6: A man with a 1-2 year change in personality noticed by his family
A 54-year-old man presents with a 1 – 2 year history of a change in personality that has been noticed more by his family than by him. He denies there is any problem but his wife reports that he has become more forgetful, takes less care about his personal hygiene, has become slightly more withdrawn and talks less and has developed more of a sweet tooth desiring to eat more puddings than savoury food. He has no significant previous medical history and on examination he has a pout and bilateral grasp reflex with no other signs. A CT scan of his brain shows no mass lesion.
Your Answer:
Correct answer: Frontal variant frontotemporal dementia
Your Answer:
Correct answer: The presentation of a change in personality with a loss of insight coupled to the reduction in verbal output and the development of a sweet tooth is often characteristic of this condition. The pout and grasp reflexes are primitive reflexes that are lost normally within the first year of life as the brain matures, they resurface when people develop a frontal syndrome.
Your Answer:
Correct answer: Unfortunately there is no treatment one can offer for a frontotemporal dementia as this is a form of a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. There are also very few symptomatic treatments one can give for this type of problem and thus all one can only offer is supportive help.