Little-known condition behind one-third of early onset dementia cases in Hong Kong, researchers say

A third of dementia cases in Hongkongers diagnosed before age 65 were caused by frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), a condition little known among the public, according to a Chinese University study.

FTLD patients tend to experience more accelerated deterioration than those with the more well-known Alzheimer’s disease.

They also suffer from slightly different symptoms – instead of being forgetful and exhibiting repetitive compulsive behaviours, they tend to lose interpersonal skills or are very moody, sometimes suddenly hitting people or swearing.

“There is a lack of studies involving understanding early onset dementia in the Chinese population,” Dr Lisa Au Wing-chi, CUHK’s clinical tutor of neurology, said.

The university’s study examined 64 patients with early onset dementia – meaning the conditions developed before age 65 – from Prince of Wales Hospital. The youngest patient was only 38 years old.

A third of them had FTLD, second only to the number with Alzheimer’s. The ratio is similar to that of patients in the West.