Identifying Pick’s Disease
Posted Tuesday, August 8, 2023
There are only about 15 to 22 cases of Pick’s Disease per 100,000 people.
01 | Introduction
Pick’s Disease is a type of frontotemporal dementia that normally affects people under the age of 65. This neurological condition can often affect a person’s behavior, such as disrupting their ability to speak or understand others. Research shows that Pick’s disease can run in families, but most cases are “sporadic,” which means the disease was not inherited.
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02 | Symptoms
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Pick’s Disease gets worse gradually. Signs and symptoms can be different for each individual, but the following are the most common symptoms:
- Loss of inhibition
- Loss of empathy or other personal/interpersonal skills
- Apathy
- Changes in eating habits
- Compulsivity wanting to put things in the mouth
- Increase difficulty in using and understanding written and spoken language
- Tremors or rigidity
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03 | Diagnosis
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Since there is no single test for Pick’s disease, doctors look for symptoms of the disease to discard other possible causes. The following are some tests that are used:
- Blood test. This test helps rule out other conditions, such as liver or kidney damage.
- Sleep study. Symptoms of sleep apnea can be similar to those of Pick’s disease. Doctors will use this test to rule out sleep apnea as the cause of the symptoms.
- Brain scan. Doctors use this test to pinpoint any visible conditions, like clots, bleeding or tumors, which could be causing the symptoms.
04 | Treatments
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Pick’s disease is a life-long condition with no cure or way to slow the progression of the disease. Even medications used to treat Alzheimer’s disease don’t work for people with frontotemporal dementia and could even worsen the symptoms. However, medical professionals may use other medication to treat some of the symptoms.
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Learn More
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For more information on Pick’s Disease and supportive resources, please visit mayoclinic.org
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References
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https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/picks-disease ![]()
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https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22637-picks-disease
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https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/frontotemporal-dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354737
