Publications by authors named "M L Knudtson"

Article Synopsis
  • Itching is common in older adults and may indicate neurodegenerative diseases like frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-SD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), as certain brain areas associated with itch sensations could be affected by these conditions.
  • A study compared the incidence of itching in patients with FTLD-SD and AD, using brain MRIs and medical records from a research project at UCSF over a period of nearly 20 years.
  • Results showed that itching was more prevalent in FTLD-SD patients (38%) compared to those with AD (18%), suggesting a possible link between unexplained itching and neurodegenerative processes, particularly in those with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia.
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Having people around, especially if they provide social support, often leads to positive outcomes both physically and mentally. Mere social presence is especially beneficial when it comes from a loved one or romantic partner. In these studies, we aim to expand the understanding of how the presence of one's romantic partner affects emotion regulation in parental situations.

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We present a longitudinal description of a man with the I383V variant of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). His progressive changes in behavior and language resulted in a diagnosis of the right temporal variant of FTD, also called the semantic behavioral variant (sbvFTD). We also present data from a small series of patients with the I383V variant who were enrolled in a nationwide FTD research collaboration (ALLFTD).

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Background: Whereas clinical experience in dementia indicates high risk for financial mismanagement, there has been little formal study of real world financial errors in dementia.

Objective: We aimed to compare caregiver-reported financial mistakes among people with Alzheimer's disease, behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), and primary progressive aphasia (PPA).

Methods: Caregivers reported whether participants with dementia had made financial mistakes within the last year; and if so, categorized these as resulting from: (a) being too trusting or gullible, (b) being wasteful or careless with money, or (c) trouble with memory.

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Background And Objectives: Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is a common but nonspecific MRI finding in individuals with prior head trauma. The type and extent of head trauma related to CSP, CSP features specific to head trauma, and the impact of brain atrophy on CSP are unknown. We evaluated CSP cross-sectionally and longitudinally in healthy and clinically impaired older adults who underwent detailed lifetime head trauma characterization.

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