Service Tree

The Service Tree lists all services in "branched" groups, starting with the very general and moving to the very specific. Click on the name of any group name to see the sub-groups available within it. Click on a service code to see its details and the providers who offer that service.

Frontotemporal Dementia

Taxonomy Code: YF-3000.2380-310

A group of disorders, previously known as Pick's disease, caused by progressive nerve cell loss in the brain's frontal lobes (the areas behind the forehead) or its temporal lobes (the regions behind the ears). The nerve cell damage caused by frontotemporal dementia leads to loss of function in these brain regions, which variably cause deterioration in behavior, personality, and/or difficulty producing or comprehending language. The most prominent causes are a group of brain disorders involving the proteins tau and TDP43. Frontotemporal dementia is inherited in about a third of all cases and there is some evidence that the disease can run in families. The disease most often affects people in their 40s and early 60s, but there are cases in people as young as 20 and as old as 80. The speed of decline varies and inevitably gets worse over time. As the disease progresses, the loss of the ability to speak, read, write, and understand what others are saying causes trouble communicating with others. There is no cure or treatment to slow or stop the progression of the disease, but interventions including medication can help manage symptoms. Progression of the disease also causes physical changes that can cause skin, urinary tract, or lung infections. The most common cause of death is pneumonia.

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