Organic psychiatry: frontotemporal dementia: practice question

A Psychiatry 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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Psychiatry · Organic psychiatry: frontotemporal dementia

Sample item

A 58-year-old man becomes disinhibited, makes inappropriate jokes, eats compulsively and loses empathy, yet his memory and visuospatial skills are initially preserved. The diagnosis is:

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia

Frontotemporal dementia (Pick disease) begins earlier than Alzheimer disease, with marked personality change, disinhibition, apathy and hyperorality, while memory is relatively spared early. Imaging shows frontal and anterior temporal atrophy.

Option by option

  • A. Alzheimer disease

    Alzheimer disease presents with memory loss first.

  • B. Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (correct)

    Correct. Early personality change with disinhibition is frontotemporal.

  • C. Huntington disease

    Huntington disease has chorea and a family history.

  • D. Vascular dementia

    Vascular dementia shows stepwise decline with vascular risk factors.

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.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is B, Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. Frontotemporal dementia (Pick disease) begins earlier than Alzheimer disease, with marked personality change, disinhibition, apathy and hyperorality, while memory is relatively spared early.

Why is "Alzheimer disease" not the answer?

Alzheimer disease presents with memory loss first.

Why is "Huntington disease" not the answer?

Huntington disease has chorea and a family history.

Why is "Vascular dementia" not the answer?

Vascular dementia shows stepwise decline with vascular risk factors.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Organic psychiatry: frontotemporal dementia in Psychiatry. Imaging shows frontal and anterior temporal atrophy.

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 Organic psychiatry: frontotemporal dementia?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry 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.