Multimodal Evaluation to Improve Diagnosis of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration and Related Disorders

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating the best diagnostic methods for frontotemporal lobar degeneration FTLD, a group of brain disorders including behavioral variant FTD, corticobasal syndrome, and others. The study aims to improve clinical and pathological diagnosis accuracy by evaluating various tests and understanding disease mechanisms. This observational study is sponsored by University Health Network, Toronto, and includes healthy controls for comparison. Participants will undergo a range of evaluations including brain imaging with MRI and PET scans, skin biopsies, blood and cerebrospinal fluid sample collection, cognitive testing, and assessments of daily functioning. The study also involves brain autopsies when possible to confirm findings. These procedures are designed to capture structural and functional brain differences among FTLD subtypes. During the study, participants will have one-time visits for imaging and will be followed for up to five years to monitor changes. Researchers will assess brain structure and function using MRI and PET scans as primary outcome measures. The study includes healthy volunteers and requires participants to have a study partner to help evaluate daily functioning. Language ability and neurological health are evaluated to ensure suitability for testing.

Diagnosing Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration