Table 2.
Summary of various frontotemporal dementia treatment studies
| Treatment | Study Details | Outcome | Side Effects |
| SSRI's | Swartz et al 1997: 11 patients; open-label (sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine) | 9/11 had behavioral improvement | Diarrhea (1/11) Increased anxiety (1/11) |
| Moretti et al 2003: 8 patients; open-label (paroxetine) | Behavioral improvement Reduced caregiver burden | Transient nausea (37.5%) | |
| Deakin et al 2004: 10 patients; RCTa (paroxetine) | No improvement in NPIb or CBIc scores Impairment seen on learning tasks/recognition tasks | None reported | |
| Ikeda et al 2004: 16 patients; open-label (fluvoxamine) | Behavioral improvement Decreased stereotypes | None reported | |
| Trazodone | Lebert et al 1999: 14 patients; open-label | Improvement in delusions, irritability, aggression, disinhibition (dose-dependent) | None reported |
| Lebert et al 2004: 26 patients; randomized controlled trial | Improvement in irritability, agitation, depression, eating disorders | None reported | |
| Lebert et al 2006: 26 patients; open-label extension of 2004 RCT | Improved behavioral symptoms; improved NPI score | Hypotension (15%) | |
| Antipsychotics | Curtis et al 2000: 1 patient; case report (risperidone) | Improved psychosis and social interactions | Akathisia Mild parkinsonism |
| Pijnenburg et al 2003: 24 patients; retrospective chart review (majority of patients given typical antipsychotics) | Not reported | Extrapyramidal symptoms (33%) Sedation (12.5%) | |
| Others | Moretti et al 2004: 20 patients; open-label (rivastigmine) | Improved behavioral symptoms Reduced caregiver burden No change in MMSEd score | Nausea (25%) Muscle cramps (20%) Blood pressure changes (15%) |
| Goforth et al 2004: 1 patient; case report (methylphenidate) | Improved behavioral symptoms | None reported |
a = randomized controlled trial; b = Neuropsychiatric Inventory; c = Cambridge Behavioral Inventory; d = Mini-Mental Status Exam