Home › Research › Lewy body dementia
Distinct behavioural profiles in frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia
Snowden JS, Bathgate D, Varma A, Blackshaw A, Gibbons ZC, Neary D.. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, 2001-03-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To test predictions that frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia give rise to distinct patterns of behavioural change. Methods An informant based semistructured behavioural interview, covering the domains of basic and social emotions, social and personal behaviour, sensory behaviour, eating and oral behaviour, repetitive behaviours, rituals, and compulsions, was administered to carers of 41 patients with semantic dementia and with apathetic (FTD-A) and disinhibited (FTD-D) forms of frontotemporal dementia. Results Consistent with prediction, emotional changes differentiated FTD from semantic dementia. Whereas lack of emotional response was pervasive in FTD, it was more selective in semantic dementia, affecting particularly the capacity to show fear. Social avoidance occurred more often in FTD and social seeking in semantic dementia. Patients with FTD showed reduced response to pain, whereas patients with semantic dementia more often showed exaggerated reactions to sensory stimuli. Gluttony and indiscriminate eating were characteristic of FTD, whereas patients with semantic dementia were more likely to exhibit food fads. Hyperorality, involving inedible objects, was unrelated to gluttony, indicating different underlying mechanisms. Repetitive behaviours were common in both FTD and semantic dementia, but had a more compulsive quality in semantic dementia. Behavioural differences were greater between semantic dementia and FTD-A than FTD-D. A logistic regression analysis indicated that emotional and repetitive, compulsive behaviours discriminated FTD from semantic dementia with 97% accuracy. Conclusion The findings confirm predictions regarding behavioural differences in frontotemporal and semantic dementia and point to differential roles of the frontal and temporal lobes in affect, social functioning, eating, and compulsive behaviour.
Key findings
- Results Consistent with prediction, emotional changes differentiated FTD from semantic dementia.
- A logistic regression analysis indicated that emotional and repetitive, compulsive behaviours discriminated FTD from semantic dementia with 97% accuracy.
Why it matters
Carers of patients with frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia reported distinct behavioural patterns, and emotional and repetitive compulsive behaviours separated the two groups with 97% accuracy. This concerns diagnosis and disease description rather than treating, curing or preventing dementia.
Study details
- Participants41
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 51/100
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 | 2001 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 41 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 580 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 21.5 citations a year over 27 year(s) since 2001 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 28 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 41 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Julie S. Snowden: h-index 94 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Manchester Royal Infirmary: institution h-index 399 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 11181853) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.70.3.323
- PubMed: 11181853
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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
Snowden, J. S., Bathgate, D., Varma, A., Blackshaw, A., Gibbons, Z. C., & Neary, D. (2001). Distinct behavioural profiles in frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.70.3.323
Vancouver
Snowden JS, Bathgate D, Varma A, Blackshaw A, Gibbons ZC, Neary D. Distinct behavioural profiles in frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2001. doi:10.1136/jnnp.70.3.323. PMID: 11181853.
BibTeX
@article{snowden2001-11181853,
author = {Snowden, J. S. and Bathgate, D. and Varma, A. and Blackshaw, A. and Gibbons, Z. C. and Neary, D.},
title = {{Distinct behavioural profiles in frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia}},
journal = {Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry},
year = {2001},
doi = {10.1136/jnnp.70.3.323},
pmid = {11181853},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.70.3.323}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
28 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references. Showing the 8 highest-scoring.
Related studies in Lewy body dementia
Also tagged “bodies”
1,017 studies in the library carry the topic tag “bodies”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,017 tagged studies.