Predict to Prevent Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FDT) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

This study will investigate whether cognitive deficits, structural and functional changes can be detected before symptom onset in presymptomatic mutation carrier. The main objectives of the project are to identify novel cognitive, brain imaging markers and peripheral biomarkers for early diagnosis of FTLD, and to follow disease progression. Methodology 1. Recruitment and evaluation of participants, neurological, behaviour and cognition evaluations. One hundred participants including 20 C9orf72 patients and 80 'a-risk' individuals will be recruited and evaluated by clinical partners of the project (Paris, Lille, Limoges, Rouen).. 'At-risk individuals' are the first degree relatives of C9ORF72 patients, who have a high a risk (50%) to carry the mutation. 2. Identifying brain structural markers. Brain structural changes will be evaluated by voxel-based morphometry (SPM12 software) to assess global brain atrophy and evaluation of atypical shape patterns such as cortical thickness (Freesurfer software) and study of the cortical sulci (BrainVISA/Morphologist software). 3. Identifying brain metabolic markers by Fluoro Deoxy DGlucose-Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET). We will apply voxel-based methods using Statistical Parametric Mapping software (SPM8) to compare different groups or analyze correlations between brain metabolism and cognitive deficits. 4. Identifying peripheral biomarkers of disease onset and disease progression. We propose to use RNA sequencing to study gene expression and RNA splicing alterations in lymphocytes of C9ORF72 patients and 'at risk individuals'.