PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J. Arturo Silva
TI  - Commentary: The Forensic Psychiatry of Frontotemporal Dementia
DP  - 2010 Sep 01
TA  - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
PG  - 324--328
VI  - 38
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jaapl.org/content/38/3/324.short
4100  - http://jaapl.org/content/38/3/324.full
SO  - J Am Acad Psychiatry Law2010 Sep 01; 38
AB  - The article by Dr. Mendez is a timely contribution to the literature on the study of antisocial behavior associated with frontotemporal dementia. My commentary is focused on the need to take into account the neuroscientific advances involving frontotemporal dementia and the way in which such information may be conceptually helpful in furthering our understanding of forensic psychiatric cases of individuals with frontotemporal dementia. I place particular emphasis on the need to present basic psychiatric-legal aspects of such cases before we attempt to integrate the relevant neuropsychiatric information. I use the cases presented by Dr. Mendez to highlight this important need in forensic neuropsychiatry. With this commentary, I support the view that both theoretical and practical aspects of neuropsychiatric and forensic psychiatric knowledge must be carefully integrated to achieve effective forensic neuropsychiatric assessments.