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Patterns of brain atrophy in frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia
Rosen HJ, Gorno-Tempini ML, Goldman WP, Perry RJ, Schuff N, Weiner M, Feiwell R, Kramer JH et al.. Neurology, 2002-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To identify and compare the patterns of cerebral atrophy associated with two clinical variants of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD): frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and semantic dementia (SemD). Methods Twenty patients with FTLD were classified as having FTD (N = 8) or SemD (N = 12) based on current clinical criteria. Both groups showed a similar spectrum of behavioral abnormalities, as indicated by the neuropsychiatric inventory. T1-weighted MRI was obtained for each patient and 20 control subjects. The regions of focal gray matter tissue loss associated with both FTD and SemD, as well as those differing between the two groups were examined using voxel-based morphometry. Results Regions of significant atrophy seen in both groups were located in the ventromedial frontal cortex, the posterior orbital frontal regions bilaterally, the insula bilaterally, and the left anterior cingulate cortex. The FTD, but not the SemD, group showed atrophy in the right dorsolateral frontal cortex and the left premotor cortex. The SemD, but not the FTD, group showed tissue loss in the anterior temporal cortex and the amygdala/anterior hippocampal region bilaterally. Conclusions Although FTD and SemD are associated with different overall patterns of brain atrophy, regions of gray matter tissue loss in the orbital frontal, insular, and anterior cingulate regions are present in both groups. The authors suggest that pathology in the areas of atrophy associated with both FTD and SemD may underlie some the behavioral symptoms seen in the two disorders.
Key findings
- Objective To identify and compare the patterns of cerebral atrophy associated with two clinical variants of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD): frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and semantic dementia (SemD).
- The regions of focal gray matter tissue loss associated with both FTD and SemD, as well as those differing between the two groups were examined using voxel-based morphometry.
- Results Regions of significant atrophy seen in both groups were located in the ventromedial frontal cortex, the posterior orbital frontal regions bilaterally, the insula bilaterally, and the left anterior cingulate cortex.
- Conclusions Although FTD and SemD are associated with different overall patterns of brain atrophy, regions of gray matter tissue loss in the orbital frontal, insular, and anterior cingulate regions are present in both groups.
- The authors suggest that pathology in the areas of atrophy associated with both FTD and SemD may underlie some the behavioral symptoms seen in the two disorders.
Why it matters
In 20 people with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (8 with frontotemporal dementia, 12 with semantic dementia) and 20 controls, MRI showed that the two conditions shrink different parts of the brain: frontal areas in frontotemporal dementia, and the front of the temporal lobe and the amygdala/hippocampus region in semantic dementia. Both groups also lost grey matter in the same orbital frontal, insular and anterior cingulate regions. The authors suggest this shared damage may explain behavioural symptoms common to both. The study is small and compares groups, so it cannot diagnose an individual, and it does not show that these regions cause the symptoms.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 2002 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 847 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 32.6 citations a year over 26 year(s) since 2002 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 19.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 42 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 52 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Bruce L. Miller: h-index 198 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, San Francisco: institution h-index 1,915 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 11805245) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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APA 7th
Rosen, H. J., Gorno-Tempini, M. L., Goldman, W. P., Perry, R. J., Schuff, N., Weiner, M., et al. (2002). Patterns of brain atrophy in frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.58.2.198
Vancouver
Rosen HJ, Gorno-Tempini ML, Goldman WP, Perry RJ, Schuff N, Weiner M, et al. Patterns of brain atrophy in frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia. Neurology. 2002. doi:10.1212/wnl.58.2.198. PMID: 11805245.
BibTeX
@article{rosen2002-11805245,
author = {Rosen, H. J. and Gorno-Tempini, M. L. and Goldman, W. P. and Perry, R. J. and Schuff, N. and Weiner, M. and Feiwell, R. and Kramer, J. H. and others},
title = {{Patterns of brain atrophy in frontotemporal dementia and semantic dementia}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2002},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.58.2.198},
pmid = {11805245},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.58.2.198}
}
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