Semantic fluency task as a sensitive tool for detecting clinical stages in three FTD genetic mutations

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a type of early-onset neurodegenerative condition that encompasses different clinical and pathological disorders. Investigating its presymptomatic phase presents an opportunity to identify biomarkers at the disease's inception. The potential for early intervention to delay or prevent neurodegeneration underscores the significance of such research. This inquiry delves into familial FTD, specifically exploring three autosomal dominant mutations—progranulin (GRN), chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72), and microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT). The study explores the use of semantic verbal fluency task as a promising clinical tool for differentiation during the early stages of FTD. Building on prior research demonstrating alterations in semantic networks among patients with other types of cognitive decline, our investigation extends to presymptomatic FTD mutation carriers. By scrutinizing these changes, we aim to enhance understanding of the potential biomarker role played by semantic fluency and unveil subtle shifts in semantic networks over time. Current investigations into presymptomatic and prodromal genetic FTD lack thorough exploration of the qualitative, psycholinguistic information, and semantic networks inherent in their findings. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining longitudinal shifts in qualitative dimensions of semantic fluency, including factors such as the number of clusters and switches, cluster size, age of acquisition, and lexical frequency. This approach contributes valuable insights for the development of early diagnostic strategies and interventions in the realm of FTD.