Frontotemporal Dementia: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Abstract

It is predictable that syndromes of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) may have a worldwide distribution; however, data available on their incidence and prevalence are variable. This variability most likely reflects disparities across regions in the distribution of the expertise, technology, and resources available for FTD research and care. Important discoveries have been made regarding FTD's phenotypes, genetics, and cultural influences on the expression of symptoms; however, in many countries, there are barriers posed by a dearth of resources. There are pressing needs to further develop research on FTD: including first, population studies designed to fill the gaps in our knowledge about FTD's frequency and risk factors in developing regions and among minority groups in developed countries. It is also necessary to facilitate the psychometric characterization of contemporary diagnostic criteria and their translation to different languages and cultural contexts. Furthermore, much needed is the analysis of differences in the genetic risk factors for FTD, particularly non-Mendelian susceptibility factors. It is hoped that reflections on FTD from an international perspective will spur an extension of the vibrant multicenter collaborations, that exist in North America and Europe, toward new centers to be established and supported in the developing regions of the world.

Keywords: Cross-cultural perspective; Epidemiology; Frontotemporal dementia; Genetic diversity; Sociocultural factors; Worldwide distribution.