Neuroanatomical correlates of behavioural phenotypes in behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia

• Published in: Behavioural brain research 2012-12, Vol.235 (2), p.124-129
• Main Authors: Borroni, B., Grassi, M., Premi, E., Gazzina, S., Alberici, A., Cosseddu, M., Paghera, B., Padovani, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Anatomy; Behavioral Symptoms - diagnostic imaging; Behavioral Symptoms - etiology; Behavioral Symptoms - pathology; Behaviour; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - pathology; Brain architecture; Brain injury; Brain Mapping; Cerebral blood flow; Confirmatory factor analysis; Cortex (frontal); Cortex (temporal); Cysteine - analogs & derivatives; Factor analysis; Female; Frontal lobe; Frontotemporal dementia; Frontotemporal Dementia - complications; Frontotemporal Dementia - diagnostic imaging; Frontotemporal Dementia - pathology; Frontotemporal Dementia - psychology; Humans; Inventories; Language; Male; Middle Aged; Organotechnetium Compounds; Phenotype; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Radiopharmaceuticals; Regression analysis; Single photon emission computed tomography; SPECT; Statistics as Topic; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
• ISSN: 0166-4328; 1872-7549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.08.003

► Confirmatory factor analysis identified 4 behavioural phenotypes in FTD sample. ► Disinhibition correlates with in anterior cingulate and anterior temporal gyri. ► Apathy correlates in the left dorsolateral cortex. ► Language correlates with left frontotemporal lobes. Behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) frequently presents complex behavioural changes, that rarely occur in isolation. Targeting behavioural phenotypes instead of single behavioural symptoms may potentially provide a disease model in which to investigate brain substrates of behavioural abnormalities. To identify behavioural phenotypes and to assess the associated brain correlates in a cohort of patients with bvFTD. Two hundred and seven consecutive individuals fulfilling clinical criteria for bvFTD were enrolled. Each participant's caregiver completed frontal behavioural inventory on 24 key behavioural disturbances. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models were applied, and behavioural phenotypes identified. For each phenotype, a score was derived based on the “best” CFA model (Bifactor CFA). One hundred two participants underwent SPECT scan. A regression analysis between scores for each factor and regional cerebral blood flow was carried out (P