Neurology: frontotemporal dementia pathology: practice question

A General Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Medicine · Neurology: frontotemporal dementia pathology

Sample item

A 58-year-old man has progressive disinhibition, hyperorality and apathy over two years, with memory relatively preserved early on. MRI shows frontal and anterior temporal atrophy. Which pathological finding characterises one major subtype?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Pick bodies containing tau

Frontotemporal dementia presents with behavioural change, language disorder or both. Pathology includes tau-positive Pick bodies, or TDP-43 or FUS inclusions. Alzheimer disease begins with memory loss and hippocampal involvement.

Option by option

  • A. Pick bodies containing tau (correct)

    Correct. Tau-positive Pick bodies are seen in a major subtype with frontal and temporal atrophy.

  • B. Hippocampal amyloid plaques with tangles predominating

    Early memory loss with hippocampal changes points to Alzheimer disease.

  • C. Spongiform change with abnormal prion protein

    Spongiform change is seen in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with rapid course and myoclonus.

  • D. Lewy bodies containing alpha-synuclein

    Lewy bodies are found in Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More General Medicine questions

Questions about this General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Pick bodies containing tau. Frontotemporal dementia presents with behavioural change, language disorder or both.

Why is "Hippocampal amyloid plaques with tangles predominating" not the answer?

Early memory loss with hippocampal changes points to Alzheimer disease.

Why is "Spongiform change with abnormal prion protein" not the answer?

Spongiform change is seen in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with rapid course and myoclonus.

Why is "Lewy bodies containing alpha-synuclein" not the answer?

Lewy bodies are found in Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Neurology: frontotemporal dementia pathology in General Medicine. Pathology includes tau-positive Pick bodies, or TDP-43 or FUS inclusions. Alzheimer disease begins with memory loss and hippocampal involvement.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Neurology: frontotemporal dementia pathology?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.