Antisocial behaviors in frontotemporal dementia: aggression versus rule‑breaking
Antisocial Behavior in Frontotemporal Dementia: Behavioral Phenotypes, Neural Markers, and Decision-Making Mechanisms
This project looks at different kinds of antisocial behaviors—like aggression or rule‑breaking—in people with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and how those behaviors relate to brain changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306098 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient and caregiver perspective, researchers will ask caregivers (informants) to complete a new questionnaire designed to capture antisocial behaviors seen in bvFTD and will compare those answers to well‑established measures used outside of dementia. Patients will also complete cognitive and decision‑making tests and undergo brain imaging so the team can link behavior patterns to specific brain changes. The team will look for separate behavior patterns for aggressive acts versus rule‑breaking behaviors and check that the new questionnaire matches existing measures. Findings aim to clarify why these behaviors happen and point to ways clinicians and families can respond.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults diagnosed with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), typically 21 or older, who can attend clinic visits and have a caregiver or informant willing to answer questionnaires are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with other types of dementia (for example, typical Alzheimer's disease), individuals without an available informant, or those unable to undergo brain imaging are less likely to benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians and caregivers better recognize, predict, and manage antisocial behaviors in bvFTD, reducing harm to patients and others.
How similar studies have performed: Research outside of dementia has separated aggressive versus rule‑breaking behaviors, and the investigators have pilot data with their new bvFTD questionnaire, but applying these tools to bvFTD and linking them to brain atrophy is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Darby, Richard Ryan — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Darby, Richard Ryan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.