Study finds Frontotemporal Dementia patients lack empathy

A new research study by the

Karolinska Institutet

has found that people affected by Dementia often struggle with empathy. The study noted that patients show reduced brain activity when put in situations while they observe others in pain. This new finding has brought valuable insights to understanding the conditions of dementia.
The study published by the Karolinska Institute was led by Olof Lindberg and Alexander Santillo. The research was conducted by analysing 28 individuals with

frontotemporal dementia

and they were observed using

functional magnetic resonance imaging

(fMRI).

The study investigated the brain activity of the participants and how they responded to the images shown during the observation. The study noted that people with frontotemporal dementia show no activation of the frontal brain network that is generally activated when recognizing suffering or pain in others. This approach of study provided valuable insight into

empathy loss

in frontotemporal dementia.

Olof Lindberg, who conducted the study, found it interesting to have been able to relate this measure of brain activity in patients to how carers rate their lack of empathy. The study shows that people with frontotemporal dementia do not display any activation of the frontal brain networks that are activated in the control group of age-matched healthy individuals.

Published in the “Altered Empathy Processing in Frontotemporal Dementia” – Frontotemporal dementia with a loss of ability to empathize with other people can resemble other conditions with empathy problems in psychiatry, such as psychopathy. Olof Lindberg added that the new findings on how brain activity is affected will increase understanding of the disease.

Frontotemporal dementia is a very rare brain condition and it causes progressive changes in behavior, personality, language and movement. Patients diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia often act impulsively and often have compulsive behaviours like overeating or neglecting hygiene.

The frontotemporal dementia (FTD) will affect the person’s movements and speech as well and even cause memory loss problems. The FTD affected patients may even have slow or stiff body movements.