TY - JOUR
T1 - Pharmacological Management of Psychiatric Symptoms in Frontotemporal Dementia
T2 - A Systematic Review
AU - Buoli, Massimiliano
AU - Serati, Marta
AU - Caldiroli, Alice
AU - Galimberti, Daniela
AU - Scarpini, Elio
AU - Altamura, Alfredo Carlo
PY - 2017/5/1
Y1 - 2017/5/1
N2 - Psychiatric symptoms in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are highly prevalent and may complicate clinical management of these patients. Purpose of the present article is to present and discuss available data about the pharmacological treatment of psychiatric symptoms in patients with FTD. A research in the main database sources has been conducted to obtain an overview of the pharmacological management of psychiatric symptoms in patients with FTD. The search strategy included the following terms-"FTD and psychiatry," "FTD and behavioural disturbances," and "FTD and treatment". Pathophysiology of psychiatric symptoms in FTD is different from other types of dementia. Although drugs for Alzheimer disease appear to be ineffective for the treatment of psychiatric symptoms of FTD, preliminary evidence supports a possible usefulness of serotonergic antidepressants for these patients. Data are too scanty to draw definitive conclusions, but antidepressant treatment, particularly with serotonergic compounds, may improve psychiatric symptoms in patients with FTD. Large observational studies are needed to confirm this preliminary evidence, and a lot of effort and collaboration between neurologists and psychiatrists will be definitely crucial for future research of effective treatments for FTD.
AB - Psychiatric symptoms in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are highly prevalent and may complicate clinical management of these patients. Purpose of the present article is to present and discuss available data about the pharmacological treatment of psychiatric symptoms in patients with FTD. A research in the main database sources has been conducted to obtain an overview of the pharmacological management of psychiatric symptoms in patients with FTD. The search strategy included the following terms-"FTD and psychiatry," "FTD and behavioural disturbances," and "FTD and treatment". Pathophysiology of psychiatric symptoms in FTD is different from other types of dementia. Although drugs for Alzheimer disease appear to be ineffective for the treatment of psychiatric symptoms of FTD, preliminary evidence supports a possible usefulness of serotonergic antidepressants for these patients. Data are too scanty to draw definitive conclusions, but antidepressant treatment, particularly with serotonergic compounds, may improve psychiatric symptoms in patients with FTD. Large observational studies are needed to confirm this preliminary evidence, and a lot of effort and collaboration between neurologists and psychiatrists will be definitely crucial for future research of effective treatments for FTD.
KW - frontotemporal dementia (FTD)
KW - pharmacotherapy
KW - psychiatric symptoms
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U2 - 10.1177/0891988717700506
DO - 10.1177/0891988717700506
M3 - Review article
C2 - 28351199
AN - SCOPUS:85021389180
VL - 30
SP - 162
EP - 169
JO - Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
JF - Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
SN - 0891-9887
IS - 3
ER -