A smartphone app could provide significant benefits in combating frontotemporal dementia.
A new smartphone app promises significance in the fight against frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This disease occurs as a result of the breakdown of nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, where areas related to personality, behavior and language are located. With the application developed by UC San Francisco, a great advantage can be achieved in diagnosing and monitoring the risk of FTD.
Remote detection via app
FTD is known to be a very challenging disorder for both patients and researchers. FTD symptoms can often be confused with psychiatric diseases. In cases where sensitive diagnostic tools are not available or used, treatment may be significantly delayed and treatment may be ineffective even if it is started. It is stated that with the new application, FTD can be diagnosed earlier and monitored more closely.
The app includes cognitive tests that can be completed via remote connection. This enables more people to participate in clinical trials. Through these tests, the disease can be detected in people who are genetically predisposed to the disease even before symptoms appear. The head of the research, Dr. Adam Staffaroni states that the application could replace face-to-face clinic visits in the future.
According to the World Health Organization, 55 million people around the world are struggling with dementia. FTD is the main cause of dementia seen in patients under the age of 60. Up to 30 percent of these patients have to struggle with FTD due to genetic reasons. Symptoms of the disease include personality change, speech difficulty, movement and behavioral difficulties. The application, which collects a lot of data such as voice recordings and body movements, shows promise in trials conducted with 360 people.