Department of Occupational Therapy, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece.
Neurology Department, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Med Sci (Basel). 2023 Nov 6;11(4):71. doi: 10.3390/medsci11040071.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive impairments in behavior, executive function, and language, primarily affecting individuals under the age of 65. This disorder is associated with expressive and receptive anomia, word comprehension deficits, and behavioral symptoms such as apathy, loss of empathy, and disinhibition, all of which closely correlate with functional impairment in daily activities. Despite substantial efforts, research on occupational therapy (OT) interventions has yet to demonstrate clear benefits in managing the disease. The aim of this study is to investigate OT interventions and assess their efficacy, with a specific focus on individuals suffering from FTD. We systematically conducted searches on two databases, namely Medline and Science Direct, spanning a ten-year period from 2003 to 2023, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. OT interventions targeted both patients and caregivers and yielded significant positive improvements in their lives. A key focus of these interventions was to teach acceptable alternatives to the behaviors exhibited by FTD patients, as these behaviors are strongly influenced by the disease itself. OT contributes positively to enhancing the quality of life of FTD patients and alleviating the caregiving burden experienced by those providing long-term care to these patients.
额颞叶痴呆（FTD）是一种神经退行性疾病，其特征是行为、执行功能和语言逐渐受损，主要影响 65 岁以下的个体。该疾病与表达性和接受性命名障碍、单词理解缺陷以及行为症状（如冷漠、同理心丧失和抑制丧失）有关，所有这些都与日常活动中的功能障碍密切相关。尽管进行了大量努力，但针对职业治疗（OT）干预的研究尚未证明其在管理该疾病方面具有明显的益处。本研究旨在探讨 OT 干预措施及其疗效，特别是针对患有 FTD 的个体。我们按照 PRISMA 指南，在 2003 年至 2023 年的十年期间，在 Medline 和 Science Direct 两个数据库上进行了系统检索。有 11 项研究符合纳入标准。OT 干预措施针对患者和照顾者，使他们的生活得到了显著的积极改善。这些干预措施的一个关键重点是教授 FTD 患者可接受的行为替代方案，因为这些行为受疾病本身的强烈影响。OT 有助于提高 FTD 患者的生活质量，并减轻为这些患者提供长期护理的人的护理负担。
