Changes in appetite, food preference, and eating habits in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Background: Despite numerous reports of changes in satiety, food preference, and eating habits in patients with frontotemporal dementia, there have been few systematic studies. Objectives: To investigate the frequency of changes in eating behaviours and the sequence of development of eating behaviours in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease, using a caregiver questionnaire. Methods: Three groups of patients were studied: frontal variant frontotemporal dementia (fv-FTD) (n = 23), semantic dementia (n = 25), and Alzheimer's disease (n = 43). Level of education and dementia severity was similar in the three groups. The questionnaire consisted of 36 questions investigating five domains: swallowing problems, appetite change, food preference, eating habits, and other oral behaviours.Results: The frequencies of symptoms in all five domains, except swallowing problems, were higher in fv-FTD than in Alzheimer's disease, and changes in food preference and eating habits were greater in semantic dementia than in Alzheimer's disease. In semantic dementia, the developmental pattern was very clear: a change in food preference developed initially, followed by appetite increase and altered eating habits, other oral behaviours, and finally swallowing problems. In fv-FTD, the first symptom was altered eating habits or appetite increase. In Alzheimer's disease, the pattern was not clear although swallowing problems developed in relatively early stages. Conclusions: Change in eating behaviour was significantly more common in both of the frontotemporal dementia groups than in Alzheimer's disease. It is likely that the changing in eating behaviours reflects the involvement of a common network in both variants of frontotemporal dementia-namely, the ventral (orbitobasal) frontal lobe, temporal pole, and amygdala.

Cognitive and Behavioral Profile in a Case of Right Anterior Temporal Lobe Neurodegeneration

“…Our case also showed changes in eating behaviors typical of SD in general (Ikeda et al, 2002), and a tendency to orally examine all objects repeatedly and indiscriminately, as originally described in primates with bilateral anterior temporal lobe ablation (Kluver and Bucy, 1939). The combination of a marked deficit in flavor and food recognition, hyperoral behavior and changed eating habits created a particularly dramatic picture in JT, who, if not controlled, would eat floral table decorations and large quantities of butter, oil and jam by themselves.…”

“…Lesion studies and functional imaging data converge in indicating that the fusiform gyrus is the primary site of face perception (De Renzi et al, 1994;Gorno-Tempini et al, 1998;Kanwisher et al, 1997). Converging evidence indicates that multimodal person-specific semantic information is processed in the antero-lateral temporal lobe.…”

Platelet serotonin concentration and monoamine oxidase type B activity in female patients in early, middle and late phase of Alzheimer's disease

“…The main factors that influence 5-HT synthesis are plasma availability of its precursor tryptophan, and the activity of the rate-limiting enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH). Since tryptophan is an essential amino acid, its plasma levels depend on the dietary intake and eating pattern that might occasionally be altered in AD (Ikeda et al 2007). The literature data on tryptophan concentrations in body fluids and brain of patients with AD are inconsistent.…”

Avaliação fonoaudiológica da deglutição na demência frontotemporal

“…Um dos métodos é a Avaliação Clínica que corresponde à avaliação estrutural de órgãos fonoarticulatórios, avaliação funcional da deglutição e uso de questionários com o paciente e cuidador (Ikeda et al, 2002;Correia et al, 2010). Outro método é a avaliação com exames objetivos: Videofluoroscopia da deglutição (VDF) e Videoendoscopia da deglutição (VED).…”

“…Disfagia tem sido raramente reportada. (Fuh et al, 1994;Ikeda et al, 2002;Langmore et al, 2007;Marin et al,2012).…”