Speech and language impairments in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia: A systematic review. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Geraudie, Amandine; Battista, Petronilla; García, Adolfo M.; Allen, Isabel E.; Miller, Zachary A.; Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa; Montembeault, Maxime
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 131(2021)
• Page Start: 1076
• Page End: 1095
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia -- Speech -- Language -- Phonology -- Reading -- Writing -- Lexico-semantics -- Grammar -- Prosody -- Systematic review; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: bvFTD patients present consistent lexico-semantic, orthographic, and prosodic impairments bvFTD patients present inconsistent deficits in motor speech and grammar bvFTD patients present a relative preservation of phonological skills Clinical, neuroanatomical, genetic, and neuropathological factors contribute to the heterogeneity of speech and language symptoms. Abstract: Although behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is classically defined by behavioral and socio-emotional changes, impairments often extend to other cognitive functions. These include early speech and language deficits related to the disease's core neural disruptions. Yet, their scope and clinical relevance remains poorly understood. This systematic review characterizes such disturbances in bvFTD, considering clinically, neuroanatomically, genetically, and neuropathologically defined subgroups. We included 181 experimental studies, with at least 5 bvFTD patients diagnosed using accepted criteria, comparing speech and language outcomes between bvFTD patients and healthy controls or between bvFTD subgroups. Results reveal extensive and heterogeneous deficits across cohorts, with (a) consistent lexico-semantic, reading & writing, and prosodic impairments; (b) inconsistent deficits in motor speech and grammar; and (c) relative preservation of phonological skills. Also, preliminary findings suggest that the severity of speech and language deficits might be associated with global cognitive impairment, predominantly temporal or fronto-temporal atrophy and MAPT mutations (vs C9orf72 ). Although under-recognized, these impairments contribute to patient characterization and phenotyping, while potentially informing diagnosis and management.