Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Amy Hoffmann Schenk, RN, BSN, MS Ed, Community Engagement Lead Neuropsychiatric Research Center of SW Florida
March is Women’s History Month! This tribute to the contributions of women actually began in the early 1980s as Women’s History week and in 1987, Congress passed a resolution that March would be proclaimed Women’s History Month. Women’s history month celebrates the accomplishments of women in a variety of different fields that have positively impacted history. This month also serves as a celebration of women’s efforts to continue to fight for equality, justice and opportunities in the world.
In the early 1900s, Dr. Alois Alzheimer identified the characteristic plaques and tangles in the brain of a 51 year old woman. He had followed her disease progression and when she died, he was able to provide analysis of her brain, where he was able to make the discovery of these histological alterations. Dr. Alzheimer’s patient was a woman named Auguste Deter, who also has a place in the history of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease impacts women more than men. Approximately twice as many men have Alzheimer’s disease than men. Why is this? Age is the number one risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Women live longer than men. As noted in a recent JAMA article, the gap between men and women’s life expectancy increased to 5.8 years. Life expectancy is one consideration, but are there other things at play?
One of the world’s leading experts and researchers in the area of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Reisa Sperling is working on trying to understand what other factors contribute to Alzheimer’s disease in women. As highlighted in an Alzheimer’s Association profile, Dr. Sperling, who is a professor at Harvard Medical school and the Director of Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is not only a pioneer in Alzheimer’s disease research, she has mentored many women who are dedicated to dementia science. She is also the Director of Neuroimaging Core at the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Disease research center at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Sperling was in medical school when her grandfather died with Alzheimer’s disease. Her father was also diagnosed with the disease, which also fueled her focus on finding approaches to stopping the disease.
The Alzheimer’s Association has also highlighted several other prominent female researchers. Dr. Marilyn Albert, the Director of the Division of Cognitive Neuroscience and the Director of the John’s Hopkins Alzheimer’s Research Center has focused on the lifestyle changes that may preserve cognitive abilities as we age. Her current research is focused on early identification and ways to monitor disease progression.
Another accomplished researcher, Dr. Malu Tansey has focused her research on the role of inflammation and the immune system in brain health and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, Dr. Tansey is the Professor of Neuroscience and Neurology and the Director of the Parkinson’s Foundation Research Center of Excellence at the University of Florida.
Several other prominent female scientists are leading the charge at the Alzheimer’s Association. Dr. Maria Carillo is the Chief Science Officer and medical affairs lead who sets the strategic vision for global research in the area of Alzheimer’s disease. Among her many leadership responsibilities, Dr. Carillo is a co-investigator for the Association led US Pointer Study, a lifestyle intervention trial to prevent cognitive decline. She has also received numerous awards and in 2020, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Alzheimer’s Disease Therapeutic Research from the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease Conference.
Dr. Heather Snyder is the Vice President of Medical and Scientific Relations at the Association, and is recognized as an industry expert. Dr. Rebecca Edelmayer has more than 20 years of experience as a scientist and an educator and serves as the senior Director of Scientific Engagement. These amazing women are at the forefront of Alzheimer’s disease research, forging relationships and connections with global leaders in the Alzheimer’s research space. The President and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association is Joanne Pike, DPH. Dr. Pike has an extensive background in social support and public health initiatives.
These are just a few of the many outstanding female scientists and leaders working with Alzheimer’s disease with a commitment to finding a cure for the disease. Here at the Neuropsychiatric Research Center, we are also dedicated to finding a cure and improving the lives of people with neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, through research and education. We understand the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on those who have been diagnosed, and their family and friends. If you haven’t been formally diagnosed with a memory condition, yet have noticed changes please contact us at 239-939-7777.
Would you like to have a free baseline memory screen? We can help! Brain health is critical for all of us, and knowing your cognitive status via an easy and free memory screen is a service we provide to the community. Memories matter! NPRC 239- 939-7777.
239-939-7777 | nprc-swfl.com
14271 Metropolis Avenue., Fort Myers, FL
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3181715/
https://www.alz.org/blog/alz/february-2020/women-who-inspire-
researchers-making-their-mark-i
Widening Gender Gap in Life Expectancy in the US, 2010-2021 | Health Disparities | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network
