Frontotemporal Dementia Risk Cohort (FTD-RisC): Early biomarker abnormalities in patients with frontotemporal dementia

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Recruiting

Sex: Not specified

Target Recruitment: 250

Inclusion Criteria

1) Patients with frontotemporal dementia referred to our referral center and diagnosed with use of International Consensus Criteria. The dementia symptoms have to be mild (clinical dementia rating <=1). Inclusion will be made when age of onset of dementia is below 65 year. Patients with all variants of frontotemporal dementia (behavioural frontotemporal dementia, semantic dementia, progressive non-fluent aphasia) will be included.
2) Patients with mild Alzheimer dementia diagnosed according to International Consensus Criteria. The dementia has to be mild (clinical dementia rating <=1). Inclusion will be made when age of onset of dementia is below 65 year.
3) Asymptomatic, first degree relatives of dementia patients due to genetic mutations. They have 50% chance of having the mutation and developing FTD. For the current study we collect new DNA and we will test them for the genetic mutation but keep them uninformed on the result unless they want to be informed. Participation is possible from 18 years and over.
4) Healthy persons who are age matched with persons having frontotemporal dementia.

Exclusion Criteria

1) Patients with moderate to severe dementia (clinical dementia rating > 1).
2) Persons with a previous stroke or other (neurological) conditions that may affect cognitive functions (brain tumour, multiple sclerosis, use of psycho-active medications).
3) Contra-indication for undergoing MRI (pacemaker or other metal implants, claustrophobia, or unability to lie still for a period of 30 minutes in the MRI scanner).

Study & Design

Study Type: Observational invasive

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<p>The main study outcome is the difference between persons with presenile<br /><br>dementia (FTD/AD), presymptomatic mutation carriers and controls using<br /><br>structural and functional connectivity MRI measures.</p><br>

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<p>At baseline and the follow-up examinations we perform neuropsychological<br /><br>assessments. These neuropsychological tests can be correlated to the MRI<br /><br>results. Protein levels in CSF will be compared between patients,<br /><br>presymptomatic carriers and controls. Relatively new techniques, such as<br /><br>proteomics and microRNA sequencing, will be used to identify biomarkers in CSF<br /><br>and blood; these biomarkers will be compared between mutation carriers<br /><br>(presymptomatic versus symptomatic) and healthy controls.</p><br>