Building a New Paradigm for the Early Recognition of Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia: Late Onset Frontal Lobe Syndrome Study

Objective: To describe the aims and design of the ongoing Late Onset Frontal Lobe Syndrome study (LOF study), a study on the spectrum of neurodegenerative and psychiatric etiologies causing behavioral changes in later life, and on the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), [F-18]-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers in predicting and identifying the different underlying pathologies with a special focus on the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia. Methods: The LOF study is an observational cross-sectional and prospective follow-up study. Patients aged 45-75 years with a frontal behavioral change consisting of apathy, disinhibition, or compulsive/stereotypical behavior were included (April 2011-2013). Patients underwent a multidisciplinary assessment by a neurologist and psychiatrist and MRI, CSF, and PET measurements at inclusion and after 2 years of follow-up. Results: The diagnostic added value of MRI, PET, and CSF results and their predictive value will be measured after 2 years of follow-up. Conclusion: This is the first large-scale prospective follow-up study of patients with late-onset behavioral disorders.