Table 2.

Medications that may prove effective in symptom management in FTD (references cited in text and table where available)

Medication by class	Available clinical evidence, caveats, and considerations for use in FTD
Cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine)	May stabilize of language and executive functions (Kertesz et al. 2008; Moretti et al. 2004) May improve neuropsychiatric symptoms (Moretti et al. 2004) May aggravate neuropsychiatric symptoms (Mendez et al. 2007)
NMDA antagonists (memantine)	May improve neuropsychiatric symptoms (Boxer et al. 2009; Swanberg 2007) May worsen cognitive function (Diehl-Schmid et al. 2008)
Antidepressants (trazodone, paroxetine, fluoxetine, sertraline, selegiline, meclobemide)	May improve neuropsychiatric symptoms (Adler et al. 2003; Lebert et al. 2004; Moretti et al. 2002, 2003; Prodan et al. 2009; Swartz et al. 1997) May worsen cognitive function (Deakin et al. 2004) May improve cognitive function (Adler et al. 2003; Moretti et al. 2002)
Mood stabilizers (topiramate, lithium, valproic acid)	Only topiramate evaluated and shown to have efficacy for reducing compulsive alcohol use, but not other behaviors (Cruz et al. 2008) Lithium and valproic acid inhibit GSK-3B and may prevent tau mediated degeneration although unproven in vivo (Allain et al. 2003; Galariotis et al. 2005a; Mendez 2009; Trojanowski et al. 2008; Gozes 2010)
Sedatives (benzodiazepines and antihistamines)	Not tested in FTD May worsen cognition, exacerbate psychiatric symptoms and increase sleepiness limiting functional performance based on mechanism of action
Antipsychotics	May increase risk of stroke or death (FDA) (Dorsey et al. 2010; Jeste et al. 2008; Kirshner 2008; Recupero and Rainey 2007; Salzman et al. 2008; Wang et al. 2006) Restoration of frontal glucose hypometabolism (Curtis and Resch 2000; Fellgiebel et al. 2007) Aggravation of extrapyramidal signs and symptoms (dystonis and torticoliis) (Czarnecki et al. 2008)
Stimulants (methylphenidate)	May reduce compulsive risk taking (Rahman et al. 2006) May partially normalize frontal electroencephalographic rhythms (Goforth et al. 2004) May hyperactivate based on mechanism of action
Antihypertensives (α & β blockers)	Not tested in FTD May be effective in controlling anxiety, agitation, and combative behavior
Anti-Parkinsonian agents (carbidopa/levodopa, dopaminergic agonsists, bromocriptine)	Only bromocriptine tested, which may increase speech production in language variants of FTD (Reed et al. 2004) Other agents may help treat associated parkinsonism in FTD, but effectiveness is untested
Agents for pseudobulbar affect (amitriptyline, amantidine, dextromethorphan/quinidine)	Not tested in FTD May help treat associated pseudobulbar palsy in FTD, but effectiveness is untested
Agents for motor neuron disease (riluzole, phenytoin, baclofen)	Not tested in FTD May help treat associated motor neuron disease symptoms in FTD, but effectiveness is untested