Significant racial disparities in the clinical presentation of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) symptoms and disease severity was found in a recent study published in JAMA Neurology. The study, which analyzed data from 2,478 individuals diagnosed with behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) or primary progressive aphasia (PPA), found that Black/African American individuals had higher severity scores than White and Asian individuals.
Black/African American individuals also showed a higher frequency of delusions, agitation, and depression, and greater severity for these symptoms1. In contrast, White individuals were more likely to exhibit apathy than Black/African Americans1. Asian individuals more frequently experienced apathy, nighttime disturbances, and eating-related issues than White participants.
The study also found that Black/African American individuals demonstrated greater difficulty with daily activities than the other tracked racial groups1. Asian individuals did not have significant differences in functional status from White individuals.
These findings suggest that Asian and Black/African American people could be at heightened risk of misdiagnosis1. The authors of the study note the growing need for greater racial and ethnic diversity in the study of FTD.
“Study Explores Racial Differences in Clinical Presentation of FTD Symptoms, Disease Severity” (June 26, 2024)
