San Antonio Report: His dementia went undiagnosed for over a decade. A new study explains why that’s so common.
Posted on: Wednesday, August 19th, 2026
After experiencing personality changes, memory loss, and other symptoms for more than a decade, Coast Guard veteran George Becerra was finally diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) at UT Health San Antonio in 2024. FTD is less understood compared to more common forms of dementia like Alzheimer’s Disease, according to A. Campbell Sullivan, PsyD, ABPP-CN, a neuropsychologist at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Sullivan was the senior author on a study published in July, which George participated in, examining FTD in the South Texas Hispanic population compared to white patients.
His story reflects findings from a new study by the Biggs Institute showing that Hispanic patients with FTD, a rare form of early-onset dementia, are often diagnosed later and with more advanced disease than non-Hispanic White patients. Researchers hope the findings will increase awareness of FTD symptoms, improve access to specialized care and help more families receive answers sooner.
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