An Elderly Patient with Frontotemporal Dementia Masquerading as Mania Detected by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography

Abstract

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is characterized by pronounced changes in affect, social conduct, and personality. It comprises many syndromic variants characterized by the progressive development of behavioral and personality changes and/or language impairment. Instrumental functions of perception, spatial skills, and memory are relatively preserved. Onset occurs most commonly between the ages of 50 and 60 years, although 10% of patients have an age of onset of over 70 years. These clinical manifestations are often confused with Alzheimer's dementia or bipolar disorder. Here, we present a case of elderly FTD masquerading as mania detected by single photon emission computed tomography.