Clinical examination of a patient with memory disorder

Previous brain injury may be associated with higher risk of FTD

Joensuu, ‎Kuopio‎, ‎Eastern Finland – A recent study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that previous traumatic brain injury may potentially affect the risk of frontotemporal dementia.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of the most common causes of dementia in working-age people. FTD spectrum disorders have, depending on the subtype, major effects on behaviour, linguistic functions and cognitive processing. Many genetic mutations have been implicated as contributing to these disorders, but their non-genetic and thus potentially preventable risk factors remain unknown and scarcely studied.

Clinical examination of a patient with memory disorder

Clinical examination of a patient with memory disorder

According to a recent study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland, previous traumatic brain injury may increase the risk of FTD, especially in patients who did not carry a causal genetic mutation. In addition, patients who had suffered a head injury appeared, on average, to develop FTD earlier than others. The researchers compared Finnish FTD patients with patients with Alzheimer’s disease, and with healthy controls. The findings were reported in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

“The results of this study suggest that traumatic brain injury may be a triggering factor for the neurodegenerative processes in FTD. However, clarifying the precise underlying mechanisms still needs further studies,” says Doctoral Researcher and lead author of the article Helmi Soppela of the University of Eastern Finland.

The study was conducted by Adjunct Professor Eino Solje’s research group as part of the FinFTD consortium. The partners were the University of Oulu and the University of Brescia.

The study was conducted with support from the Academy of Finland, Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, the Finnish Brain Foundation, Orion Research Foundation, Instrumentarium Science Foundation, the Finnish Medical Foundation, and Maire Taponen Foundation.

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NOTES FOR EDITORS
For further information, please contact
Doctoral Researcher Helmi Soppela, helmi.soppela (at) uef.fi
Research Director, Adjunct Professor Eino Solje, eino.solje (at) uef.fi

Research article
Soppela H, Krüger J, Hartikainen P, Koivisto A, Haapasalo A, Borroni B, Remes AM, Katisko K, Solje E. Traumatic Brain Injury Associates with an Earlier Onset in Sporadic Frontotemporal Dementia. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022 Nov 9. doi: 10.3233/JAD-220545

Photo
The photo is from the clinical examination of a patient with memory disorder. Photographer: Raija Törrönen.

About the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease
Now in its 25th year of publication, the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (JAD) is an international multidisciplinary journal to facilitate progress in understanding the etiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, genetics, behavior, treatment, and psychology of Alzheimer’s disease. The journal publishes research reports, reviews, short communications, book reviews, and letters-to-the-editor. Groundbreaking research that has appeared in the journal includes novel therapeutic targets, mechanisms of disease, and clinical trial outcomes. JAD has a Journal Impact Factor of 4.160 according to Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate, 2022). The journal is published by IOS Press. j-alz.com

About IOS Press
IOS Press is an independent international scientific, technical, medical (STM) publishing house established in 1987 in Amsterdam. We produce around 90 journals and 70 books annually in a broad range of subject categories, primarily specializing in health and life sciences (including neurosciences, medical informatics, cancer research, and rehabilitation) and computer sciences (including artificial intelligence, data science, and semantic web). In addition, we offer specialized services that support scientific advancement. iospress.com