Bipolar Disorder and Frontotemporal Dementia: An Intriguing Association

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Papazacharias, Apostolos^{a; 1} | Lozupone, Madia^{b; 1; *} | Barulli, Maria Rosaria^c | Capozzo, Rosa^d | Imbimbo, Bruno P.^d | Veneziani, Federica^a | De Blasi, Roberto^e | Nardini, Marcello^a | Seripa, Davide^f | Panza, Francesco^{b; c; f; *} | Logroscino, Giancarlo^{b; c}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Psychiatric Unit, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy | [b] Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy | [c] Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, Tricase, Lecce, Italy | [d] Department of Research & Development, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy | [e] U.O.C. Radiology, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, Tricase, Lecce, Italy | [f] Department of Medical Sciences, Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology and Geriatrics, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Francesco Panza, MD, PhD, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sense Organs, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy and Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, Tricase, Lecce, Italy and Geriatric Unit & Laboratory of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy. Tel.: +39 0883 773904; Fax: 39 0883 773909. E-mail: geriat.dot@geriatria.uniba.it and Madia Lozupone, MD, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sense Organs, Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy. E-mail: madia.lozupone@gmail.com.

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: Bipolar disorder (BD) could represent a prodromal state of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Two patients affected by lifelong BD with a progressive decline of cognitive functions, behavioral, and neurological signs, reached the early diagnosis of FTD before the age of 60. They were diagnosed as affected by primary progressive aphasia and FTD with parkinsonism, respectively. A diagnosis of FTD should therefore be taken into account, in case of unexpected cognitive and behavioral decline in patients with a long history of BD. Follow-up studies with genetic, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging markers of these BD/FTD patients could further explore some of the underlying association, opening new viable therapeutic options.

Keywords: Bipolar disorder, behavioral decline, cognitive impairment, frontotemporal dementia, parkinsonism, primary progressive aphasia

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-160860

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 55, no. 3, pp. 973-979, 2017