Shana Dodge, PhD, AFTD’s Director of Research Engagement, spoke at the 2023 Cure VCP Connections Conference, held July 20-22 in Las Vegas.

VCP disease, also called VCP-associated multisystem proteinopathy or inclusion body myopathy with early-onset Paget disease and frontotemporal dementia (IBMPFD), is a genetic disease that can affect the muscles, bones, nerves, and brain. Approximately 30% of people with a variant in the VCP gene will develop FTD.

Like the other genes associated with FTD, such as C9orf72, GRN, and MAPT, VCP is autosomal dominant, meaning that if a parent has a VCP variant, their offspring have a 50% chance of inheriting it (click here for more information on the genetics of FTD). Dr. Dodge spoke to the audience about FTD, including symptoms, current research, and ways that AFTD supports people impacted by FTD.

The conference was hosted by Cure VCP Disease, Inc., a patient advocacy organization driving efforts to discover a cure for neurodegenerative diseases associated with VCP. More information on Cure VCP, including details about their upcoming scientific conference, can be found on their website.