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Frontotemporal dementia — DGM MCQ

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HardDementiaFrontotemporal dementiaDGM

A 72-year-old woman has progressive disinhibition and loss of empathy over two years. Her memory for recent events is relatively intact. Family report new compulsive sweet eating and socially inappropriate comments. Current medicines include no regular medicines. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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Correct answer: C — Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia

Early personality change, disinhibition, loss of empathy and compulsive behaviour with relative memory preservation suggest behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. Alzheimer's disease tends to begin with memory, delirium is acute, vascular dementia is often stepwise, and schizophrenia is less likely with progressive executive/behavioural decline. Younger-old patients with behavioural change need specialist cognitive assessment.

Reference: NICE NG97