A Longitudinal Analysis of Frontotemporal Dementia Patients in Spain throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Study.

INTRODUCTION

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) comprises a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative syndromes characterized by diverse behavioural, cognitive, and language profiles. Longitudinal data describing its clinical course progression using FTD-specific instruments remain limited. This study aimed to characterize the functional, cognitive, and behavioural trajectories of FTD clinical syndromes in a Spanish cohort, including assessments performed remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Sixty-seven patients diagnosed with behavioural variant FTD (bvFTD), non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia, or semantic variant PPA (svPPA) were prospectively followed at Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre (Madrid, Spain). Functional and neuropsychiatric status were assessed with the Frontotemporal Dementia Rating Scale (FTD-FRS), the Interview for Deterioration in Daily Activities in Dementia (IDDD), the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and the telephone Mini-Mental State Examination (t-MMSE). Thirty-three assessments were conducted remotely during pandemic restrictions.

RESULTS

Over a mean follow-up of 3.1 years, significant declines were observed in FTD-FRS, IDDD, and t-MMSE (p < 0.001), whereas NPI scores remained stable. The svPPA group exhibited the greatest cognitive and functional decline, while bvFTD showed more heterogeneous progression. Twelve participants (18%) died during follow-up, predominantly older men with poorer baseline performance.

CONCLUSION

Functional and cognitive decline in FTD varies across clinical variants, with the semantic subtype showing the most rapid progression in our cohort. Remote assessments are feasible and represent a valid approach for longitudinal monitoring.