A Case of Frontotemporal Dementia Presenting with Apraxia of Speech

ABSTRACT

Apraxia of speech (AOS) is a speech disorder due to an impaired ability to program the positioning of the speech musculature and the sequencing of muscle movements. It differs from dysarthria because speech errors are inconsistent depending on the locus of the sound. We report a 66-year-old man who presented with AOS which evolved into frontotemporal dementia 5 years later. Initial neuropsychological test showed mainly buccofacial apraxia and frontal lobe dysfunction. Brain FDG-PET disclosed hypometabolism in frontotemporal region.