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FTD in the News
Stories of FTD Genetics Featured in “Brain & Life” Magazine
Brain & Life magazine recently told the stories of two people whose lives have been affected by FTD, and who participated in the March 5 AFTD-hosted Externally Led Patient-Focused Drug Development (EL-PFDD) meeting. Hannah Mackay, a police officer from West Sussex, England, and Wanda Smith, who lives in San Diego, were…
Researchers Evaluate Current and Future Status of Clinical Trials at International FTD Conference
Alzforum’s coverage of the 2021 International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementia concludes with an update on FTD clinical trials. According to the final article in the series, trials for carriers of GRN mutations are the farthest along in clinical trial developments. Julio Rojas of the University of California,…
Cohort Studies Join Together in Preparation for FTD Clinical Trials
In the sixth part of Alzforum’s coverage series of the 2021 International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementias, researchers provide an overview of how studies from around the world are uniting as clinical trials are in development. One such initiative, the FTD Prevention Initiative (FPI), unites multicenter studies like GENFI and ALLFTD together. FPI is jointly led by…
Social-Emotional Tests in FTD Research Discussed at International FTD Conference
Alzforum’s coverage of the 2021 International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementias continues with a closer look into neuropsychological tests. During the conference, researchers described the different tests that examine deficits in social and emotional cognition. According to the Alzforum article, Katherine Rankin of the University of California, San Francisco and colleagues have been working to validate four socioemotional…
“Atlantic” Magazine Highlights Person Diagnosed with FTD
An article published in The Atlantic details the lives of persons diagnosed with dementia amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including one man diagnosed with FTD, and how the pandemic is impacting their health and lives. The article, published March 24, tells Joe Licata’s story of his rapid decline in performing independent tasks, his difficulties with impulse…
Tests That May Track FTD Symptom Progression Discussed at International FTD Conference
Alzforum’s coverage of the 2021 International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementias continues with an overview of the standardized tests that are available for tracking symptoms of FTD. In the fourth installment of Alzforum’s series, writer Jessica Shugart summarized FTD researchers’ attempts to develop standardized tests that objectively and comprehensively measure FTD symptoms. One promising candidate is multidomain impairment rating (MIR), developed by Bradley Boeve, MD, of the Mayo Clinic (and AFTD’s Medical Advisory Council), along…
Study Provides New Insight on Protein Structure Commonly Found in Brains with FTD
Scientists at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have determined the design structure of the protein “fibrils” linked to FTD and other neurodegenerative disorders. The study examined the structure of TDP-43, one of the proteins in the brain that forms abnormal accumulations in FTD. Using a technique of electron…
International FTD Conference Emphasizes Importance of Collaborative FTD Research
Throughout the week, Alzforum is publishing a summation of this year’s International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementias in a five-part series of articles emphasizing the importance of collaboration between FTD researchers around the world. The International Society for Frontotemporal Dementias virtually convened the 12th International Conference on FTD on March 3-5. Alzforum’s first installment of its conference coverage series highlighted…
Brain-Imaging Study Explores Possibility of Restoring Empathy in Persons with FTD
Scientists at Western University’s Robarts Research Institute are using brain scanning systems on persons diagnosed with FTD to develop therapies that may restore their empathy. Dr. Elizabeth Finger, associate professor at the university’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and a neurologist at St. Joseph’s Health Care London, partnered with scientists at Robarts…
“White Matter Hyperintensities” More Abundant in Brains of Persons with FTD Than Alzheimer’s, Study Shows
The volume of white matter hyperintensities, or the damaged areas of the brain that are visible on MRI scans, were larger in people with FTD compared to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney. The study, published in the American…