Background:
Patients with early onset neurodegenerative disease can present with a clinical syndrome that overlaps with schizophrenia, and it is not uncommon for these patients to undergo long-term care in psychiatric settings rather than receiving more appropriate care by neurologists specializing in their disease.
Case report:
A 35-year old woman who presented with new-onset delusions, eating abnormalities, disorganized behavior, lack of insight, disinhibition, and stereotypical motor behaviors was diagnosed with schizophrenia and institutionalized. Later she was found to have a MAPT tau S356T mutation and a focal pattern of brain atrophy consistent with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Conclusion:
Physicians should be aware of the potential overlap in symptoms and age of onset between some forms of FTD and schizophrenia, and should include FTD in the diagnostic differential for adult patients with new onset, rapidly progressive personality changes or behavioral symptoms such as binge eating, high levels of social disinhibition, or progressive mutism.