Demencia frontotemporalmanifestaciones clínicas y repercusiones forenses

Abstract

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a subtype of dementia distinguished by a precocious behavior disorder, which stands out from the cognitive damage that also exists. The presenile onset, the important behavioral alterations, and the scant attention paid to this dementia until recently—which has prevented a consistent nomenclature—can create confusion in the diagnosis. This possible error alone would justify promoting the study of this disease, but if we look at forensic neuropsychology, this need becomes even more significant. In the dementias, the cognitive and volitive capacities are altered, and this will have important consequences on the diverse jurisdictions of Law. One could expect that, as the fundamental clinical characteristic of Frontotemporal Dementia is determined by severe behavioral disorders at personal and social levels, the demented person could easily become involved in legal conflicts, so that a correct diagnosis will determine the analysis and prevention of such conflicts. Although the literature suggests information about these consequences, it offers very few empiric and contrastable facts. The review of Spanish Court sentences does not offer many results about the legal repercussions of Frontotemporal dementia, so this article concludes with a reflection about possible explanatory hypotheses of this paradoxical result.