The Link Between Frontotemporal Dementia and Autoimmunity: A Case Presentation and Literature Review

Dementia disorders are an important public health issue and thus of particular clinical importance. Frontotemporal dementia, although less prevalent than Alzheimer’s disease, presents in a significant number of cases in younger populations. Yet, it is a comparatively rare disease process, with a low yearly incidence. Frontotemporal dementia remains an exciting and ever-evolving area of research with most recent studies investigating the role of inflammation in the degeneration pathognomonic of the disease. Here, we describe a case that highlights the connection between inflammation and neurodegeneration. Specifically, we examine a patient with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and antiphospholipid syndrome who developed frontotemporal dementia, potentially as a result of the chronic inflammatory state.