When Dementia Strikes at an Early Age
In frontotemporal dementia, portions of the brain that lie behind the forehead and ears shrink, resulting in dramatic personality changes, socially inappropriate or impulsive behavior and emotional indifference. Movement and memory problems typically develop later in the course of the disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, frontotemporal dementia often begins between the ages of 40 and 65 and may be misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem.
Lewy body disease is another cause of dementia in younger adults. It is associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain that affects brain chemistry and leads to behavioral, thought and movement problems. Most of the symptoms are similar to those seen in other dementias, and additional symptoms like hallucinations may resemble schizophrenia, but the decline in brain function occurs significantly faster. A distinguishing symptom of Lewy body dementia is having violent dreams and attempting to act them out, Dr. Knopman said.
Alzheimer’s disease remains the most common cause of dementia in younger as well as older adults. There is an inherited form of Alzheimer’s that typically arises at younger ages, but those cases account for fewer than 10 percent of young-onset disease. Most cases of Alzheimer’s occur sporadically, for unknown