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McKhann et al¹ present guidelines for the diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. This is most welcome because in recent years, new data have been gathered on this condition. We find, however, that development in this field has led to terminological confusion. The same terms are used in different senses, sometimes without due explanation. Our letter draws attention to 3 terms that have become ambiguous: Pick disease, frontotemporal dementia, and frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

Referring to 3 important articles from the 1920s,^2-4 McKhann and colleagues claim, "This concept of Pick disease emphasized the importance of Pick bodies and ballooned neurons in the pathological diagnosis. . . ." We disagree with this interpretation of the literature. Gans² was not concerned with Pick bodies and ballooned neurons. Onari and Spatz³ defined Pick disease as "circumscribed cerebrocortical atrophy [umschriebene Großhirnrinden-Atrophie]." Pick bodies [argentophile Kugeln] were considered "not to be a . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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