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Can progressive and non-progressive behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia be distinguished at presentation?
Hornberger M, Shelley BP, Kipps CM, Piguet O, Hodges JR.. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2009-02-18
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Recent findings suggest that patients with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD) differ in their disease progression (progressive vs non-progressive patients). The current study investigates whether the two groups can be discriminated by their clinical features at first presentation. Methods Archival clinical data of the Early Onset Dementia Clinic, Cambridge, UK, were analysed for 71 patients with bv-FTD: 45 progressive and 26 non-progressive cases with more than 3 years of follow-up. Results The subgroups were largely indistinguishable on the basis of the presenting clinical features but could be distinguished on general cognitive (Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-revised) and selected supportive diagnostic features (distractibility, stereotypic speech, impaired activities of daily living (ADLs) and current depression). Conclusions Progressive and non-progressive patients are difficult to differentiate on the basis of current clinical diagnostic criteria for FTD but a combination of general cognitive, executive dysfunction and impaired ADL measures appear to be the most promising discriminators.
Key findings
- Background Recent findings suggest that patients with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD) differ in their disease progression (progressive vs non-progressive patients).
- Results The subgroups were largely indistinguishable on the basis of the presenting clinical features but could be distinguished on general cognitive (Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-revised) and selected supportive diagnostic features (distractibility, stereotypic speech, impaired activities of daily living (ADLs) and current depression).
Why it matters
This study looked at whether progressive and non-progressive behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia can be told apart at first presentation, and found the groups were largely indistinguishable on presenting clinical features. It concerns frontotemporal dementia diagnosis and progression, not Alzheimer's treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Participants71
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry: journal h-index 336 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2009 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 71 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 85 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.5 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author J. R. Hodges: h-index 49 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Oxford: institution h-index 2,205 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19228667) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hornberger, M., Shelley, B. P., Kipps, C. M., Piguet, O., & Hodges, JR. (2009). Can progressive and non-progressive behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia be distinguished at presentation? Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2008.163873
Vancouver
Hornberger M, Shelley BP, Kipps CM, Piguet O, Hodges JR. Can progressive and non-progressive behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia be distinguished at presentation? Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2009. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2008.163873. PMID: 19228667.
BibTeX
@article{hornberger2009-19228667,
author = {Hornberger, M. and Shelley, B. P. and Kipps, C. M. and Piguet, O. and Hodges, JR.},
title = {{Can progressive and non-progressive behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia be distinguished at presentation?}},
journal = {Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1136/jnnp.2008.163873},
pmid = {19228667},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2008.163873}
}
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