Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) occurs when nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost, causing the lobes to shrink. FTD develops slowly, gradually worsening over several years, with patients exhibiting changes in behavior, language, and movement. There is no single test for FTD; diagnosis involves the observation of symptoms and investigation of patient medical history. Biomarkers enable clinicians to accurately diagnose patients and monitor disease progression, and have an important role in clinical trials. Currently validated biomarkers in FTD include grey matter atrophy, alterations in brain metabolism, and changes in cerebrospinal fluid levels of amyloid-β1–42, p-tau181 and total-tau. New biomarkers are needed that are sensitive to subtle changes preceding these biomarkers, to improve diagnosis and disease monitoring.

In this podcast, Martina Bocchetta, PhD, University College London, London, UK; Annakaisa Haapasalo, PhD, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland; and Adolfo Garcia, PhD, University of San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina, discuss the development of novel biomarkers for FTD.