In this newspaper article about a new, large Dutch study, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD) are both described is common causes of young-onset dementia.
See the full article here:
“When Dementia Strikes at an Early Age”
by Jane E. Brody
New York Times
January 17, 2022
Link
Here are some interesting excerpts:
“The Dutch study found that overall, Alzheimer’s disease was the most common cause of young-onset dementia. But when symptoms developed before age 50, early-onset Alzheimer’s was a less likely explanation than two other causes: vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia.”“In frontotemporal dementia, portions of the brain that lie behind the forehead and ears shrink, resulting in dramatic personality changes, socially inappropriate or impulsive behavior and emotional indifference. Movement and memory problems typically develop later in the course of the disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, frontotemporal dementia often begins between the ages of 40 and 65 and may be misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem.”
“Lewy body disease is another cause of dementia in younger adults. … Most of the symptoms are similar to those seen in other dementias, and additional symptoms like hallucinations may resemble schizophrenia, but the decline in brain function occurs significantly faster. A distinguishing symptom of Lewy body dementia is having violent dreams and attempting to act them out…”
The Dutch research is published in the September 2021 issue of JAMA Neurology. Here’s a link to the abstract:
Global Prevalence of Young-Onset Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
JAMA Neurology
2021 Sep 1;78(9):1080-1090.
Link
Happy reading!