Comparing clinical features of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease using network analysis

PMCID: PMC12173837

PMID: 40528277

DOI: 10.1002/alz.70361

Journal: Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association

Publication Date: 2025-6-17

Authors: Goodwin GJ, Mehrzad S, Cummings JL, Renn BN, Kinney JW, et al.

Key Points

• Bridge symptoms differ markedly between AD and bvFTD, with memory and motor disturbances central to AD, and elation unique to bvFTD
• Neuropsychiatric symptom severity varies significantly, with bvFTD showing higher rates of apathy (22.53% severe), disinhibition (17.68% severe), and motor disturbance (14.11% severe)
• Targeted intervention focusing on bridge symptoms may help manage overall symptom burden in neurodegenerative diseases

Summary

This comparative network analysis investigated the clinical profiles of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) using a matched sample of 890 patients per group. The study employed clinical network analysis to characterize the intricate relationships between neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognitive performance, revealing distinct symptomatic patterns that differentiate these neurodegenerative conditions.

Key findings highlighted significant differences in symptom manifestation between AD and bvFTD. While both networks demonstrated dense symptom interconnectivity, the bridge symptoms varied critically: AD showed memory performance, hallucinations, and motor disturbance as central network connectors, whereas bvFTD exhibited elation as the sole bridge symptom. These distinctions provide nuanced insights into the unique clinical phenomenology of each disease, potentially informing more targeted diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.