The dementia that can look like a psychiatric disorder in midlife
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Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) often develops earlier than other forms of dementia, frequently affecting people in midlife. Its earliest symptoms can be surprisingly easy to overlook because they may resemble a psychiatric or behavioral condition rather than a neurodegenerative disease. Changes in personality, judgment, empathy, motivation, social behavior, or language can emerge before obvious memory problems appear, leading families and even clinicians to initially suspect depression, anxiety, burnout, or another mental health disorder. Recognizing these atypical warning signs is important because FTD can progress significantly before the underlying diagnosis becomes clear.
Source
Vismara, Matteo et al. “Crossing Borders Between Frontotemporal Dementia and Psychiatric Disorders: An Updated Overview.” Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD vol. 75,2 (2020): 661-673. doi:10.3233/JAD-191333
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