Can the proposed research criteria for prodromal behavioural variant FTD be a bridge between neurologists and psychiatrists for early diagnosis?

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe early diagnosis of the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is very challenging to clinicians. This type of dementia has a wide range of clinical variability, and the psychiatric presentation adds to the complexity of the differential diagnosis. The need for early precise diagnosis of FTD in the prodromal phase is increasing for tailored interventional strategies, better guidance, early counselling, and enrolment in clinical trials. However, its application in clinical practice needs good collaboration between psychiatrists and neurologists. We aimed to review the literature for studies highlighting the need for such collaboration.MethodWe performed a scoping literature review on early diagnosis of FTD, including suggested new biomarkers and psychometric studies supporting the diagnosis.ResultThe search identified a recent publication on proposed research criteria for prodromal bvFTD. These criteria were developed and validated by the ALLFTD Consortium. For the early detection of FTD, the investigators stressed the need to refine the definitions of neuropsychiatric disorders in neurodegenerative diseases differentiating them from primary psychiatric disorders, to conduct psychometric assessment to detect executive dysfunctions in patients presented with psychiatric disorders, lowering the threshold of suspicion, applying some tests for social cognition, and to use plasma and CSF biomarkers to support the diagnosis. It was considered important to use culturally adapted psychometric batteries for assessment of executive function and social cognition.ConclusionCollaboration between neurologists and psychiatrists will be needed to translate research criteria into clinical practice for the early diagnosis of patients with FTD. The current search for feasible biomarkers to improve the diagnostic utility is important and should be encouraged among psychiatrists as well as neurologists.