Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases

THE WOMEN’S BRAIN INITIATIVE

While it is a well-established fact that important differences exist between female and male brains—including risks of many neurologic and psychiatric diseases—little is known about the underlying reasons for these differences, their wider impact, and how treatment and prevention strategies should be tailored to suit male and female patients.

Thanks to an anonymous gift, the Women’s Brain Initiative at Brigham and Women’s Hospital is poised to change this landscape by spearheading an important effort to close the knowledge gap and completely redefine our understanding of the female brain. A joint program rooted in the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, the Program for Interdisciplinary Neurosciences, and the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology, the initiative builds upon substantial expertise in women’s brain health at BWH. To fully assess the many complex factors that influence brain development and function throughout the lifespan, we have assembled a range of experts spanning all BWH medical specialties connected to women’s neurologic and psychiatric conditions. Together, they can collectively examine the many contributing factors and form a holistic understanding of women’s brain health and the most effective ways of protecting it.

Read more in the 2017 Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases annual report.