Gender has profound, complex effects across all fields of health, and neurology is no exception. Biological differences such as sex hormones across the life cycle affect the symptoms and onset of Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and other conditions. Cultural mores mean that women do most of the caregiving for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, even as they are at greater risk than men for developing the condition. Even history plays a part, as for generations women have been left out of clinical trials.
For the past several years during Women's History Month, several Duke neurologists and neurosurgeons agreed to discuss gender differences and concerns relevant to women in their areas of expertise. Read more about specific health concerns women face by clicking on the links below.
Women's History Month 2021:
- Stroke and Women's Health: Nada El-Husseini, MD, MHS
- Multiple Sclerosis and Women's Health: Suma Shah, MD
- Migraine and Women's Health: Jaskiran Vidwan, DO
- Treating the Whole Person: Carolyn Keeler, DO (Duke Neurosurgery)
- Getting to know Annick Desjardins, MD (Duke Neurosurgery)
Read our earlier entries focusing on women's health and Alzheimer's disease, stroke, brain tumors, and other conditions here:
- Women's health and multiple sclerosis: Suma Shah, MD
- Women's health and epilepsy: Krystal Sully, MD
- Women's health and Alzheimer's disease: Kim Johnson, MD
- Women's health and stroke: Jodi Dodds, MD
- Women's health and movement disorders: Anna Bjornsdottir, MD
- Women's health and brain tumors: Katherine Peters, MD, PhD
- Women's health and migraines: Hillary Yu, NP-C
- Women's health and sleep disorders: Andrew Spector, MD