The mission of the MGH FTD Unit is to improve understanding of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA), young-onset and atypical Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with FTD, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and related disorders with the goals of finding a cure and providing comprehensive care of patients and families living with these conditions.
Mission
The mission of the MGH FTD Unit is to improve understanding of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA), young-onset and atypical Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with FTD, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and related disorders with the goals of finding a cure and providing comprehensive care of patients and families living with these conditions.
Philosophy
We are an interdisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers who are dedicated to the belief that, through the application of scientific approaches, we will advance our collective understanding of brain function and dysfunction which will ultimately improve our ability to diagnose, monitor, and treat patients with FTD and related disorders.
Aims
The MGH FTD Unit team works to fulfill our mission by striving to accomplish 4 major aims:
- Provide multidisciplinary clinical evaluation, management, and support services targeted specifically for patients suspected of having FTD, PPA, and related conditions with the goal of maximizing and maintaining the quality of life.
- Perform clinical and translational research with FTD and PPA patients with the ultimate goal of developing better tools for early diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.
- Interface with investigators performing basic science research on FTD, PPA, and related disorders with the ultimate goal of deepening our understanding of the neurobiology of these conditions to better understand the causes of these conditions and possibly genetic factors, with the ultimate goal of using this information to find a cure.
- Provide targeted education to health care professionals and researchers (specialists and non-specialists, residents, fellows, and other trainees) and non-healthcare professionals (family members, the public, legislators, legal and business professionals, philanthropic and advocacy organizations).
Impact
Since its inception in 2007, the FTD Unit has benefited more than 750 patients and families with forms of FTD, progressive aphasia, and related disorders, leveraging many existing resources to accelerate the development of this program dedicated to FTD, PPA, PCA, young-onset and atypical AD and related disorders. We currently provide neurology, speech pathology, neuropsychology, psychiatry, social work, and genetic counseling and testing services. We are proud to have provided comprehensive multidisciplinary clinical evaluations and management for these patients and families, including partnering with local speech pathologists, psychologists, and doctors near their homes, to do our best to try to treat the condition with the limited options available. As a result of this high quality care, we have a growing number of referrals from not only the entire New England area, but also other parts of the country as well as internationally.