Which statement about frontotemporal dementia is false?

Which statement about frontotemporal dementia is false?

• A. It often presents with changes in personality and behavior early
• B. Language difficulties are common
• C. Memory loss is the earliest and core feature
• D. It can involve movement difficulties

Answer: (C)

Frontotemporal dementia is driven by degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes, so early changes are behavioral and language-related, not memory. Behavioral variants show altered personality, social conduct, and motivation, while primary progressive aphasia variants present with progressive language difficulties. Memory can be affected later, but it is not the initiating or core feature—this distinction helps separate FTD from Alzheimer’s disease, where memory loss is typically the first symptom. Movement difficulties can occur in some FTD subtypes (such as motor variants) but are not required for the diagnosis. Therefore, the statement that memory loss is the earliest and core feature is false.

Frontotemporal dementia is driven by degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes, so early changes are behavioral and language-related, not memory. Behavioral variants show altered personality, social conduct, and motivation, while primary progressive aphasia variants present with progressive language difficulties. Memory can be affected later, but it is not the initiating or core feature—this distinction helps separate FTD from Alzheimer’s disease, where memory loss is typically the first symptom. Movement difficulties can occur in some FTD subtypes (such as motor variants) but are not required for the diagnosis. Therefore, the statement that memory loss is the earliest and core feature is false.