Welcome to the MGH FTD Unit
Frontotemporal Dementia is the name given to a number of brain disorders
that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. They are
usually slowly progressive and may affect various aspects of a person's
behavior, language, emotions, memory, or other abilities. Although there
are a growing number of helpful resources to assist people in learning
about these disorders, it is important to recognize that not all of the
information that is usually described will typically apply to every
individual. That is, each person's symptoms usually include only some of
the list of symptoms described.
FTD Unit educational materials, including slides from recent presentations
Association for Frontotemporal Dementia
Primary Progressive Aphasia information at Northwestern University
FTD information at UCSF
FTD Research Group -- includes a practical guide to caring for patients with younger onset dementia
National Aphasia Association
Cure PSP: Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Association
We Move (movement disorders society--this link leads to page on Corticobasal Degeneration
Consensus document on frontotemporal dementia in ALS
Guide to early onset dementia, written by Dr. John Hodges and colleagues at FRONTIER, Australia
The MGH FTD Unit aims to develop better knowledge about and diagnosis and treatment of all forms of FTD and related focal dementia syndromes. The PPA Program aims to better understand and treat primary progressive aphasia syndromes using existing technologies (including speech therapy) and by developing new diagnostic and treatment technologies.
Our research is generously funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association.