Neuropsychological features of progranulin-associated frontotemporal dementia: a nested case-control study

The distinction between sporadic and genetic behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) regarding some neuropsychological (NP) features remains challenging. Specifically, progranulin (GRN)-associated bvFTD frequently presents with early episodic memory impairment degree of parietal dysfunction which are supporters Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis. In this context, we aimed to characterize the NP profile GRN-bvFTD as compared sporadic-bvFTD AD in patients mild (Mini-Mental State Examination score ? 17 Clinical Dementia Rating Scale ? 1. We identified 21 at Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Portugal GRN mutations belonging fifteen different families. As our focus was variants, FTD-related aphasic forms (3 patients) were excluded. remaining 18 further matched according staging, age education. All completed Mini-Mental Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) a comprehensive assessment battery. Results converted into z-scores. Differences groups individual measures domains assessed through non-parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis test analysis) eta squared (?2) calculated measure effect size. Group comparisons show that have worse performances on verbal retrieval processes (P = 0.039, ?2 0.110) visuoconstructive abilities 0.190) than forms. When AD, present higher frontal 0.001, 0.211) 0.041, 0.129) better performance tasks 0.020, 0.120). Sporadic-bvFTD 0.032, 0.200), being both 0.010, 0.131) visuospatial skills 0.023, 0.231). Considering these results, conclude associates typical patterns FTD deficits. This is particularly expressive abilities, more discriminative feature groups, followed by memory. study approved Institutional Ethics Committee (CE-029/2019) June 24, 2019.