Our conversation with Susan Dickinson, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), explores frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a lesser known but devastating form of dementia that primarily affects behavior and executive function rather than memory. 

Susan helps us understand the distinctive signs of FTD, including personality changes, social inappropriateness, and diminished decision-making abilities that often appear in patients’ 40s and 50s — decades earlier than typical Alzheimer's onset. She clearly explains the critical differences between FTD and Alzheimer's disease, emphasizing why an accurate diagnosis is essential for proper treatment, family support, and planning.