A comprehensive clinical-research unit focused on Frontotemporal Degeneration and related disorders, including Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), Semantic Dementia, Corticobasal Degeneration Syndrome (CBD), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA), FTD-ALS, and related disorders.
Team Members
The Dickerson Laboratory of Neuroimaging champions the power of multi-disciplinary teamwork.
By learning from and teaching each other, we work every day to advance our collective knowledge and share it with others.
By learning from and teaching each other, we work every day to advance our collective knowledge and share it with others.
Bradford Dickerson, MD
Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School
Director, MGH Frontotemporal Disorders Unit
Director, Center for Translational Brain Mapping
Associate Neurologist, Department of Neurology
Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry
Affiliated Faculty, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dickerson Lab of Neuroimaging
149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129
mghftdunit@mgh.harvard.edu
Short Biography
Dr. Brad Dickerson is a behavioral neurologist and neuroscientist dedicated to the sophisticated, compassionate, and multidisciplinary care of patients with neurodegenerative disorders, including Primary Progressive Aphasia, Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, Posterior Cortical Atrophy, and related disorders. He is the Tommy Rickles Endowed Chair in Progressive Aphasia Research, Director of the MGH Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Leader of the Neuroimaging Core of the MGH Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and is Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.
He completed undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, medical school at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, and neurology residency at MGH and Brigham and Women’s Hospitals in Boston; he did fellowships in neuroimaging at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging and in behavioral neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Dr. Dickerson runs a multidisciplinary team of 30 clinicians and scientists using advanced brain imaging and behavioral methods to study how memory, language, emotion, and social behaviors change in normal aging and in patients with neurodegenerative disease. His team also studies new approaches to caregiving.
As a neuroscientist, Dr. Dickerson has made contributions to the investigation of neuroimaging and cognitive-behavioral abnormalities in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. His contributions have provided new fundamental insights into brain-behavior relationships in these diseases, some of which have been translated into key advances in diagnosis, monitoring, and prognostication. In addition, he has led research that has provided innovative insights into normal age-related changes in brain structure, function, and memory; the phenomenon of SuperAging (the anatomical and functional neural basis of older adults with superior (“youthful”) memory; and the functional neuroanatomy of normal human memory, affective function, and social behavior. Dr. Dickerson has published more than 200 peer-reviewed publications on these topics. The impact of his original scientific investigations has been substantial, with more than 25,000 citations, an h index > 70, and an i10 index > 170 (metrics of the impact of scientific scholarship). Because of his internationally regarded research expertise, he has been invited to write multiple reviews and editorials, participate in or lead multiple national and international research committees, and he received the prestigious Norman Geschwind Award in Behavioral Neurology from the American Academy of Neurology. He has served on many national and international grant review committees. Dr. Dickerson has had sustained NIH funding for 17 years and has been the Principal Investigator on more than two dozen federal or foundation grants. Dr. Dickerson is the immediate past Co-Editor-in-Chief of Neuroimage: Clinical, Section Editor for Cortex and Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Disease Management, and is on the editorial boards of 4 other journals. Dr. Dickerson served on the Executive Committee of the Alzheimer’s Association Neuroimaging Professional Interest Area, most recently as Chair, and he chaired the 2019 Alzheimer’s Imaging Consortium research meeting, which was attended by more than 700 researchers from around the world. He served on the Scientific Program Committee for the 2020 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.
In addition to his accomplishments in Investigation, Dr. Dickerson has an international reputation for Clinical Expertise, having contributed substantially to the diagnostic criteria for Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Posterior Cortical Atrophy. Currently, Dr. Dickerson is co-chairing the Alzheimer’s Association-sponsored Clinical Practice Guideline workgroup that is developing best practices guidelines for the diagnostic evaluation of patients with cognitive impairment, which is expected to be the major guideline for primary and specialty care in the United States. In addition, he led the development of two novel scales to measure the types and severity of symptoms in patients with FTD and Primary Progressive Aphasia, both of which have been or are being incorporated into multi-center natural history studies and clinical trials. Because of his clinical expertise, he has been invited to give lectures (including a keynote lecture at the 2019 World Congress of Neurology) and to contribute chapters and editorials by an international array of colleagues and is on multiple corporate scientific advisory boards. He co-edited a widely regarded 2014 textbook Dementia: Comprehensive Principles and Practice (Oxford University Press), which is now undergoing revision and expansion for its second edition. He also edited a 2016 textbook Hodges’ Frontotemporal
Dementia (Cambridge University Press), which has now become the definitive reference on these diseases. He is Chair of the Alzheimer’s Association MA/NH Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, and Chair-elect of the National Association for Frontotemporal Dementia’s Medical Advisory Council.
In addition to Investigation and Clinical Expertise, Dr. Dickerson has also contributed substantially to teaching. He has provided major mentorship roles to more than 60 mentees at a variety of levels, including serving on the dissertation committees of graduate students, being a primary mentor for post-doctoral clinical or research fellows, and mentoring individuals in the transition from post-doctoral trainees to junior faculty, including being a primary mentor on multiple funded K career development awards. For the past decade, he has co-directed the 3.5 days annual Harvard Medical School CME Dementia Course, the major national medical education course on dementia with a faculty of 25 international leaders and approximately 250-300 clinician attendees. He is a regular lecturer in multiple Harvard Medical School courses. At the national level, he has directed multiple courses at the annual American Academy of Neurology (AAN).
Additional Information
- Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.M.Sc., Clinical Investigation, 2005 - University of Illinois
M.D., Medicine, 1999 - Southern Methodist University
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, 1990
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Kirk Daffner)
Clinical Fellow, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 07/2003 – 06/2005 - Gerontology Research Unit & Martinos Imaging Center, Massachusetts General Hospital (Marilyn Albert, Bruce Rosen)
Research Fellow, Neuroimaging, 07/2002 – 06/2003 - Partners (MGH and BWH)
Chief Resident, Neurology, 07/2002 – 06/2003 - Partners (MGH and BWH)
Resident, Neurology, 07/2000 – 06/2002 - Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Intern, Medicine, 07/1999 – 06/2000
- Harvard Medical School
Professor, Neurology, Oct 2020 – present - Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Associate Professor, Neurology, Dec 2008 – Apr 2020 - Harvard Medical School
Assistant Professor, Neurology, 10/2005 – 11/2008 - Harvard Medical School
Instructor, Neurology, Jul 2003 – Sep 2005
- Massachusetts General Hospital
Psychiatrist, Psychiatry, Nov 2020 – Present
Director, Center for Translational Brain Mapping, Jul 2015 – Present
Tommy Rickles Endowed Chair in Primary Progressive Aphasia, Neurology, Jul 2012 – Present
Associate Neurologist, Neurology, Jul 2012 – Present
Director, Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Oct 2008 – Present
Affiliated Faculty, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Jul 2005 – Present
Assistant in Neurology, Neurology, Jul 2003 – Jun 2012 - Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Associate Neurologist, Neurology, Jul 2003 – Jun 2012
- Scientific Advisory Board, Acadia Inc.
Member, San Diego, CA (10 hours per year), Aug 2020 – Present - Scientific Advisory Board, Arkuda Inc.
Member, Boston, MA (10 hours per year), Oct 2019 – Present - Scientific Advisory Board, Biogen Inc.
Member, Boston, MA, Oct 2015 – May 2019 - Scientific Advisory Board, Lilly Inc.
Member, Indianapolis, IN, Oct 2015 – May 2016 - Data Safety Monitoring Board, Merck Inc.
Member, Philadelphia, PA, May 2014 – Mar 2018 - Scientific Advisory Board, Piramal Inc.
Member, Boston, MA, Sep 2012 – May 2017 - Scientific Advisory Council, Forum Pharmaceuticals
Member, Waltham, MA, Jul 2010 – Mar 2015 - National Alzheimer’s Association, Medical and Scientific Affairs Division
Manager, Chicago, IL, Oct 1992 – Jul 1994 - National Alzheimer’s Association, Medical and Scientific Affairs Division
Program Specialist, Chicago, IL, Oct 1990 – Oct 1992
Local
- Sydney Baer Endowed MGH Clinical Fellowship in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry (UCNS-accredited)
Co-Director, Research Track, Jul 2020 – Present - Neuroimaging Core, Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Core Leader, May 2017 – Present - MGH FTD Unit Clinical-research fellowship in Neuropsychology
Co-Director, Sep 2016 – Present - McLean/MGH Fellowship in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry
Co-Director, Jul 2015 – Jun 2020 - Center for Translational Brain Mapping, MGH
Director, May 2015 – Present - MGH FTD Unit Rounds
Course Director, Oct 2014 – Present - Imaging Biomarkers Unit, MGH Clinical Research Program, MGH
Co-Director, Jul 2014 – Present - Annual Harvard Medical School Dementia Course
Course Director, May 2011 – Present - Center for Neural Systems Investigation, MGH
Co-Director, Sep 2010 – Oct 2015 - MGH FTD Unit Clinical-research fellowship in Speech-Language Pathology
Co-Director, Sep 2007 – Present - Neuroimaging Group, Gerontology Research Unit and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, MGH
Co-Director, Oct 2005 – Sep 2015 - MGH Morphometry Analysis Center, MGH
Director of Clinical Applications, Jul 2005 – Jun 2015 - MA/NH Alzheimer’s Association Chapter Medical and Scientific Advisory Council
Member, 2004 – 2016
Vice Chair, 2016 – 2018
Chair, 2018 – 2022
Reginal
- Charles River Association for Memory
Founding Chair, Organizing Committee, Sep 2005 – May 2020
Along with Dan Schacter, John Gabrieli, and the late Howard Eichenbaum
National
- Alzheimer’s Association
Co-Chair, Clinical Practice Guideline Workgroup on the Diagnostic Evaluation of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders, Jul 2018 – Jan 2024 - American Academy of Neurology
Course Director, The Neurology of Social Behavior, Apr 2015 – Apr 2019 - American Academy of Neurology
Course Director, Primer of Behavioral Neurology, Apr 2010 – Apr 2015 - Medical Advisory Council, Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration
Member, 2010 – 2019
Chair, 2021 – Present
Local
- Conte Center Grant P50 MH 94263-2; Prefrontal and Medial-Temporal Interactions in Memory, Howard Eichenbaum, PI
Chair, External Advisory Committee, 2012 – 2015 - MGH Department of Neurology
Numerous faculty search committees, 2012 – 2020 - MGH Department of Neurology
Member, Research Council, 2012 – Present - MGH Department of Neurology
Member, Grants Management Task Force, 2012 – 2014 - Harvard FAS
Interdisciplinary Mind/Brain/Behavior standing committee, 2009 – 2020 - Harvard FAS Interdisciplinary Mind/Brain/Behavior Initiative
Co-director, Harvard MBB Chalk Talk Conference Series, 2009 – 2010 - Partners Healthcare System
Partners Brain Imaging Guidelines Committee, 2007 – 2009 - Massachusetts General Hospital
Executive Committee Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, 2006 – Present - Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Memory Disorders Unit)
Chair, Core data committee, 2005 – 2007 - Brigham and Women’s Hospital
BWH Department of Internal Medicine Resident Selection Committee, 2001 – 2007 - University of Illinois College of Medicine
James Scholar Program for Independent Study Advisory Committee, 1996 – 1999
National
- Univ. Pennsylvania Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Member, External Advisory Committee, Sep 2020 – Present - National Quality Forum
Member, Standing Committee, Washington, DC, Jul 2016 – Present
International
- International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementia Conference Planning Committee
Member, 2023 – Present - International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementia Conference Planning Committee
Member, 2019 – 2020 - Alzheimer’s Association International Conference Scientific Program Committee
Member, 2019 – 2020 - Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s Imaging Consortium Organizing Committee
Conference Organizing Committee
Vice Chair, 2017 – 2018
Chair, 2018 – 2019
Immediate Past Chair, 2019 – 2020; voting - Member International Committee on bvFTD Diagnostic Criteria
Committee to revise and validate the diagnostic criteria for behavioral variant Frontotemporal Dementia, 2009 – 2011
- Memory Disorders Research Society
Founding Member, 2011 – Present - Imaging Professional Interest Area
Chair, 2018 – 2019 - Imaging Professional Interest Area
Vice Chair, 2017 – 2018 - International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment
Chair, Imaging Professional Interest Area, 2018 – 2019
Vice Chair, Imaging Professional Interest Area, 2017 – 2018
Member, 2010 – Present - International Society for Primary Progressive Aphasia
Founding Member, 2009 – Present - Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology
Member, 2004 – Present - Cognitive Neuroscience Society Member
Member, 2004 – Present - Organization for Human Brain Mapping
Member, 2003 – Present - American Academy of Neurology
Member, 2002 – Present - American Academy of Neurology
Member, Behavioral Neurology Abstract Review Committee, 2018 – 2022
Elected Fellow, 2017 – Present
Chair, Behavioral Neurology Topic Selection Committee ,2013 – 2016
Member, Behavioral Neurology Abstract Review Committee, 2009 – 2015 - Massachusetts Medical Society
Member, 1999 – Present - American Association for the Advancement of Science
Member, 1997 – Present - Society for Neuroscience
Member, 1996 – Present - American Medical Association
Member, 1995 – Present - American Medical Writers Association
Member, 1990 – 2000
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology
Xandra Breakfield Research Mentor of the Year Award, 2021 - Western Psychiatric Institute, University of Pittsburgh
Visiting Professorship, Pittsburgh, PA, 2018 - ADRC, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan
Visiting Professorship, Ann Arbor, MI, 2018 - Department of Neurology, Rush University School of Medicine
Visiting professorship in honor of Drs. Frank and Leyla deToledo-Morrell, Chicago, IL, 2017 - Schwartz Center
Honorable Mention, Annual Award for Compassionate Care, Boston, MA, 2014 - American Academy of Neurology
Norman Geschwind Award in Behavioral Neurology, 2013 - Massachusetts General Hospital
MGH Scientific Advisory Committee Poster of Distinction Award, 2007 - ADRC, Department of Neurology, Washington University
Visiting professorship, St. Louis, MO, 2005 - Harvard/Partners Neurology Residency Training Program
Mentor of the Year Award, 2005 - Clinical Investigator Training Program
Harvard Medical School, 2003 – 2005 - Harvard/Partners Neurology Program
Partners in Excellence Award (Chief Residents), 2003 - Harvard Medical School
Outstanding Resident Teacher in Neurology, 2001 - University of Illinois College of Medicine
David M. Olkon Honors Scholarship, 1999 - University of Illinois College of Medicine
Alpha Omega Alpha, 1998 - Rush University
Second place in Sigma Xi session of research forum, Chicago IL, 1997 - Rush University
Rush University Scholars Fellowship (F & L Morrell lab), Chicago IL, 1996 – 1997 - University of Illinois College of Medicine
Honorable Mention, Student Research Day, 1996 - University of Illinois College of Medicine
Walter Rice Craig Summer Research Fellowship (conducted in lab of W.T. Greenough), 1995 - University of Illinois College of Medicine
James Scholar Program for Independent Study (research conducted in Morrell lab, Rush University), 1995 – 1999
Visit our Publications page for a list of all published papers.