Pick's disease is a type of frontotemporal dementia, which causes shrinkage degeneration of the nerve cells of temporal and frontal lobes or areas of the brain. In Pick's disease, there is excessive build-up of protein in the brain cells. This causes shrinkage degeneration of the nerve cells of temporal and frontal lobes or areas of the brain. These areas of the brain are important to decision-making, language, emotion, personality, and behavior control.
Pick's disease is a seriously disabling neurodegenerative disease of the brain that results in a progressive and permanent loss of cognitive and mental performance. The underlying cause of Pick's disease is unknown, but there may be a genetic component to its development. Risk factors are unknown.
Pick's disease is a rare form of dementia and is far less common than some other types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Symptoms of Pick's disease generally begin in the fourth through sixth decade of life and are progressive. Pick's disease occurs more often in women than in men. The rate of development of symptoms is generally gradual but varies somewhat between individuals. Personality changes are often the first symptom of Pick's disease. Symptoms can affect personality, behavior, language, memory, emotion, and may also affect muscles. For more details on symptoms and complications, refer to symptoms of Pick's disease.
There is no specific diagnostic test that can detect Pick's disease. Making a diagnosis is based on symptoms and includes performing a variety of tests and assessments that evaluate the brain and can rule out other causes of symptoms, such as vascular dementia, depression, and other psychiatric disorders. Diagnosis and treatment may require the collaboration of a variety of providers, including a primary care physician, neurologist, psychiatrist, and/or psychologist.
The diagnostic process begins with taking a thorough personal and family history, including symptoms, and completing a physical examination. This includes a neurological exam. A neurological exam evaluates the nerves and nervous system and such functions as alertness, orientation, reflexes, sensation, movement, balance, coordination, vision, and hearing.
Commonly used tests include a mini-mental state examination (MMSE), which evaluates mental function by assessing the answers provided to a series of questions. Imaging tests that are used in the diagnostic process include CT and MRI, which provide information about the structure of the brain. An EEG (electroencephalogram) may be performed to measure and record the electrical activity of the brain using sensors that are painlessly attached to the scalp. An EEG can detect abnormal patterns of electrical activity that may be present in dementia.
It is possible that a diagnosis of Pick's disease can be missed or delayed because symptoms develop gradually and are similar to symptoms of other diseases and conditions. For more information about diseases and conditions that can mimic Pick's disease, refer to misdiagnosis of Pick's disease.
Pick's disease is not curable, and at this time there are no treatments that can slow the advancement of the disease. However, there are some medications and therapies that may help to reduce some symptoms and maximize independence and the quality of life. For more information on treatment, refer to treatment of Pick's disease. ...more »
Pick's Disease: Pick's disease is a form of dementia characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of social skills and changes in personality, along ... more about Pick's Disease.
Pick's Disease: Degenerative dementia condition. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Pick's Disease is available below.
Symptoms of Pick's disease can affect decision-making, language, emotion, personality, and behavior control. Symptoms of Pick's disease are very similar to symptoms of other types of dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease. However, in Pick's disease memory loss and mental impairment tends to occur later than they do in the development of Alzheimer's disease symptoms. ...more symptoms »
There are currently no treatments that can cure or stop the progression of Pick's disease. The care of people with Pick's disease is aimed at minimizing symptoms and maximizing independence and the quality of life as much as possible.
There are some medications that may help to manage some symptoms, and there are clinical trials taking place to research potential treatments. ...more treatments »
A diagnosis of Pick's disease may be delayed or missed because early symptoms may develop gradually and or may be associated with the normal aging process. In addition, symptoms of Pick's disease can mimic symptoms of a variety of diseases, disorders or conditions. These include obsessive compulsive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, bovine ...more misdiagnosis »
See full list of 8 symptoms of Pick's Disease
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Prognosis for Pick's Disease: Poor. Deterioration. Often death within 2-10 years.
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Pick's disease is a form of dementia characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of social skills and changes in personality, along with impairment of intellect, memory, and language. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Pick's Disease Information Page: NINDS)
A progressive form of presenile dementia found most often in middle-aged and elderly women and characterized by degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes with loss of intellectual ability and transitory aphasia - (Source - WordNet 2.1)
Pick's Disease is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of
Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). This means that Pick's Disease, or a subtype of Pick's Disease,
affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)
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