Which variant is associated with Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD)?

Semantic dementia is indeed associated with Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD). It is a subtype of FTLD characterized by a progressive decline in the ability to understand and produce the meaning of words, leading to difficulties in language comprehension and communication. This condition results from neurodegeneration in the anterior temporal lobe, which is critically involved in semantic processing and language.

Semantic dementia typically presents with prominent changes in social behavior and personality, as well as language deficits, which aligns with the overall categories of FTLD. Other forms of dementia listed in the options, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, have different underlying pathologies and clinical profiles. Sundowning syndrome refers to a phenomenon observed in some individuals with dementia where symptoms worsen in the late afternoon and evening but is not a variant of FTLD itself. Therefore, the relationship between semantic dementia and FTLD highlights both the linguistic impairments and the specific brain regions affected, reinforcing the classification of semantic dementia as a variant of this disorder.