Those living with a type of dementia that affects younger people can't feel as happy as they did before developing the disease because the pleasure system in their brain has deteriorated, new research suggests.
The study, published today in the journal Brain, involved 172 participants, including 87 people with the dementia type, called frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and 34 with Alzheimer's disease. .
Professor Irish explained that she and her team set out to answer a simple question: can people living with different types of dementia experience pleasure the same way they did when they were healthy.
"We found that patients with frontotemporal dementia showed a marked drop from their pre-dementia [happiness] ratings to the current moment," Professor Irish said.
"We know [people with FTD] become extremely withdrawn and quite apathetic and lose interest in social engagements, in hobbies they used to pursue," Professor Irish said.
It typically affects people at a younger age than Alzheimer's disease, with symptoms beginning in the 50s or 60s, sometimes younger.
There is currently no cure for FTD, but Professor Irish said the study had implications for therapies
Professor Irish added that, for example, music therapy might not be as helpful for someone with FTD as it is for those with Alzheimer's disease
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