Breaking news, publications and research updates related to funding, advocacy, scientific advances and information about FTD, Alzheimer’s, dementia and related disorders
From Care to Cure Season 2, Episode 3 now available
April 20, 2026 The third episode of the second season of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available today. In season two, Katie Brandt, our Director of Caregiver Support Services and Public Relations, [...]
Dr. Alexandra Touroutoglou featured in the Harvard Gazette and on Harvard Thinking podcast
April 15, 2026 Dr. Alexandra Touroutoglou, Director of Imaging Operations of the MGH Frontotemporal Disorders Unit and Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, was interviewed on the Harvard Thinking podcast about her research into super-agers, older [...]
From Care to Cure Season 2, Episode 2 now available
March 20, 2026 The second episode of the second season of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available today. In season two, Katie Brandt, our Director of Caregiver Support Services and Public [...]
Season 2 of From Care to Cure Podcast Launches Today
February 20, 2026 The second season of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, launches today. In season two, Katie Brandt, our Director of Caregiver Support Services and Public Relations, will talk to various [...]
From Care to Cure episode 10 now available
November 20, 2025 The tenth episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features a conversation between Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit, and Katie Brandt, [...]
ALLFTD receives renewal of NIH funding
October 31, 2025 We are excited to let you know that the ALLFTD study has received funding from the National Institutes of Health for the next phase, currently referred to as ALLFTD2. ALLFTD is a natural history study, which collects critical data to examine the [...]
From Care to Cure episode 9 now available
October 20, 2025 The ninth episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. . This episode features a conversation between Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit, and Katie [...]
World FTD Awareness Week – September 21-27, 2025
September 21, 2025 September 21-27, 2025 is World FTD Awareness Week. This year World FTD Awareness Week asks the world: “What If It’s FTD?” Aiming to raise awareness of the presenting symptoms of FTD and to contrast the disease to other forms of dementia, particularly [...]
From Care to Cure episode 8 now available
September 20, 2025 The eighth episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features a conversation between Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit, and Katie Brant, [...]
Article Highlights Link between FTD and Law Enforcement
September 12, 2025 Katie Brandt, Director of MGH FTD Unit Caregiver Support Services and Public Relations, recently shared her FTD story with Lynn Hallarman, MD, a health care journalist, and “Katie’s Story,” published at Aeon.co, is the result. Dr. [...]
Emma Heming Willis Shines Light on Living with FTD
August 25, 2025 In “Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey,” an interview with Diane Sawyer broadcast on ABC, Emma Heming Willis shared the caregiving journey that she and the extended Willis family have been on since her husband Bruce [...]
From Care to Cure episode 7 now available
August 20, 2025 The seventh episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features a conversation between Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit, and Katie Brandt, [...]
MGH FTD Unit presents new research findings at 2025 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
July 31, 2025 (Toronto, ON, Canada) Our team presented a variety of new research findings at this conference, the largest forum in the world for the dementia research community. Our team’s presentations included: Aberrant Intrinsic Functional Network Connectivity in [...]
From Care to Cure episode 6 now available
July 20, 2025 The sixth episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features a conversation between Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit, and Katie Brandt, the [...]
From Care to Cure episode 5 now available
June 20, 2025 The fifth episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features a conversation between Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit, and Katie Brandt, the [...]
From Care to Cure episode 4 now available
May 20, 2025 The fourth episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features a conversation between Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit, and Katie Brant, the [...]
Katie Brandt’s Keynote Address at AFTD Education Conference
May 14, 2025 On May 2, 2025, Katie Brandt, the MGH FTD Unit’s Director of Caregiver Support Services and Public Relations, gave the keynote address at the Association for Frontotemporal Degenerations’ annual Education Conference. Katie shared how dementia [...]
May 7 proclaimed Brain Donor Awareness Day in Massachusetts
May 7, 2025 Thank you Governor Maura Healey for proclaiming May 7 as Brain Donor Awareness Day in the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts! Brain donation is the most generous gift a patient and their family can give to research. Being able to examine brain tissue from a [...]
From Care to Cure episode 3 now available
April 20, 2025 The third episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features an interview with Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit. Dr. Dickerson explains [...]
NBC 10 WJAR profiles Katie Brandt
April 1, 2025 Katie Brandt, Director of Caregiver Support Services and Public Relations at the MGH FTD Unit, shared her family’s connection to FTD and advice for caregivers on Providence’s NBC 10 WJAR ahead of her keynote speech at the Alzheimer’s [...]
From Care to Cure episode 2 now available
March 20, 2025 The second episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features an interview with Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit. Dr. Dickerson explains [...]
Katie Brandt announced as keynote speaker for 2025 AFTD Education Conference
March 5, 2025 AFTD is honored to welcome Katie Brandt, Director of MGH FTD Unit Caregiver Support Services and Public Relations, as the Keynote Speaker for its 2025 Education Conference. A passionate advocate, educator, and leader in caregiver research, Katie brings [...]
A major milestone: one year of experience using lecanemab at MGH
March 4, 2025 At MGH we reached a milestone on March 4, 2025: one year of being able to administer lecanemab, the first new amyloid-lowering therapy for patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Working closely with our colleagues at the Brigham, we have [...]
From Care to Cure episode 1 now available
February 20, 2025 The first episode of From Care to Cure, a podcast from the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, is available now. This episode features an interview with Dr. Brad Dickerson, Director of the MGH FTD Unit. Dr. Dickerson explains [...]
MGH FTD Unit Launches From Care to Cure Podcast
February 13, 2025 The MGH FTD Unit is excited to share that we are launching From Care to Cure, a podcast exploring care for a life lived with frontotemporal disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Our first season will feature host Katie Brandt, [...]
Care Plan Trifecta Webinar Series
February 11, 2025 Do you have questions about care planning after an FTD diagnosis? The MGH FTD Unit is excited to offer a four part webinar series about the Care Plan Trifecta (CPT), a framework to help you develop a person-centered care plan that centers on the person [...]
FTD Unit team members presented new research at the Human Amyloid Imaging meeting
January 15, 2025 (San Juan, Puerto Rico) Our team members attended the Human Amyloid Imaging meeting that highlights cutting edge research on molecular imaging and other biomarkers of AD, FTD, and related disorders. We presented some of our own findings, and learned [...]
New national medical guidelines for the diagnostic evaluation of patients suspected of having AD, FTD, or a related condition
December 23, 2024 We have entered a new era of improved and emerging biologically-based diagnostic biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related neurodegenerative disorders (ADRD) that are rapidly impacting evaluation and care paradigms in every clinical [...]
Dr. Dickerson wrote in the Boston Globe about cognition in governmental leaders
October 7, 2024 Dr. Dickerson co-authored a Boston Globe op-ed about cognitive assessment in governmental leaders, writing that “the Federal Aviation Agency requires commercial airline pilots to regularly undergo an assessment of cognition and lists more than 200 [...]
MGH FTD Unit presents new research findings at International Society for FTD Conference
September 19, 2024 (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Our team attended the International Society for Frontotemporal Dementias biennial conference, the major worldwide FTD conference, and presented new research findings. The FTD Unit team’s presentations included: improvements in [...]
MGH FTD Unit launches new CIMBBBA study of blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in our clinic
September 7, 2024 The current workflow in the Massachusetts General Hospital Frontotemporal Disorders Unit and Memory Disorders Unit for the diagnostic evaluation of a patient suspected of having MCI or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or an AD related [...]
MGH FTD Unit presents new research findings at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
July 28, 2024 (Philadelphia, PA) Our team presented a variety of new research findings at this conference, the largest forum in the world for the dementia research community. Our team’s presentations included: improvements in caregiver knowledge of advance care planning [...]
Dr. Dickerson interviewed about cognition in presidential candidates
July 10, 2024 Dr. Dickerson participated in a PBS News Hour interview about his perspective on cognitive function in presidential candidates. Dr. Dickerson said “it is very difficult to separate changes in speech and language that accompany normal aging from those that [...]
MGH FTD Unit celebrates FDA approval of donanemab
Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved donanemab for the treatment of people living with early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease, which includes mild cognitive impairment and the mild dementia stage of Alzheimer’s disease, with confirmed amyloid plaques.
Noche de Cine – Movie Night and Discussion about Early-Onset Dementia
Thursday, April 25, 2024
5:30 - 7:30 PM EST
Dawn of a new era: Lecanemab infusions begin at MGH
Today the first MGH patients received lecanemab infusions for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. We have been working diligently with our colleagues at the Brigham to develop uniform procedures for identifying the appropriate candidates for this new class of treatment, [...]
MGH FTD Unit praises change in Medicare coverage of amyloid PET scans
Medicare lifted the requirement that FDA-approved amyloid PET scans would only be covered if they were performed as part of a clinical trial, now enabling them to be ordered and interpreted in routine clinical practice when a person is being evaluated for possible [...]
MGH FTD Unit applauds FDA approval of lecanemab
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration converted Leqembi (lecanemab), indicated to treat adult patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, to traditional approval following a determination that a confirmatory trial verified clinical benefit. Leqembi is the first amyloid [...]
Alzheimer’s Association Welcomes FDA Approval of Aducanumab
On behalf of those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Association enthusiastically welcomes today’s historic FDA approval of aducanumab (Biogen/Eisai) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
NIA statement on FDA approval of aducanumab for Alzheimer’s disease
The FDA’s approval of the Biogen-Eisai drug, aducanumab, marks a milestone achievement in Alzheimer’s disease research. This drug is the first approved treatment shown to slow the progression of this disease. It is also a reflection of the years of research and momentum [...]
Tony Bennett’s Battle With Alzheimer’s
Tony Bennett has Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of age-related dementia. Alzheimer's is characterized by a progressive memory loss that robs its sufferers of many of the gifts that we all take for granted — speech, understanding, treasured memories, [...]
Dr. Fauci Discusses COVID-19 Vaccine, Dementia Care with NAPA Council, an Interview with Katie Brandt
Dr. Anthony Fauci talked about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine as it relates to persons with dementia during a January 25 meeting of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Advisory Council. Dr. Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and [...]
National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services Meeting Announcement
The next meeting of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services will be held on January 25, 2021, from 1:00pm to 4:30pm EST. The meeting, due to COVID-19, will be virtual and webcast at http://www.hhs.gov/live. During the January 25, 2021, meeting [...]
Recommendations to reduce disparities in dementia care due in 2021
Final recommendations on ways to reduce disparities in dementia, which were developed during a stakeholder roundtable sponsored by the Milken Institute Alliance to Improve Dementia Care, will be released in the first quarter of 2021, Nora Super, executive director of [...]
Atypical forms of dementia are being diagnosed more often in people in their 50s and 60s
No one knows why these diseases start in specific regions of the brain but we think it is influenced by the normal organization of brain networks,” said Bradford Dickerson, a behavioral neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and co-principal investigator in the [...]
The First Alzheimer’s Blood Test Is Now Commercially Available
The first-ever commercial Alzheimer’s blood test is on the market. It’s big progress. Some experts have reservations because it hasn’t yet secured FDA approval, among other limitations. While Alzheimer’s is among the top six leading causes of death in the United States [...]
To Manage Dementia Well, Start with the Caregivers
When Kate Sieloff’s husband, Karl, began acting strange, she didn’t know where to turn. Her hard-working, affectionate spouse was suddenly having fits of anger and aggression. He stopped paying the bills. Karl, 56 at the time, was an engineer at General Motors, where [...]