Antisocial behaviors in frontotemporal dementia: aggression versus rule‑breaking
Official title: Antisocial Behavior in Frontotemporal Dementia: Behavioral Phenotypes, Neural Markers, and Decision-Making Mechanisms
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11306098 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | July 15, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $816,857 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG081655-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11306098 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
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Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Darby, Richard Ryan — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Darby, Richard Ryan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding antisocial behavior in frontotemporal dementia
This study is looking at the challenging behaviors, like aggression and breaking rules, that can happen in people with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), and it aims to better understand how these behaviors are connected to changes in the brain.
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Automated language analysis for Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia in Latino and English speakers
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Automated language analysis to help diagnose Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia in Latino and English speakers
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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.