Women's Brain Project

🌟 We are excited to announce the release of our book, 'Innovating Health Against Future Pandemics.' Part of the Women’s Brain Project Book Series!

This timely publication, the culmination of two years of hard work, highlights the crucial topic of pandemic prevention and the role of Artificial Intelligence.

This book, a unique collaboration of global experts, was born out of the COVID pandemic and has since evolved to cover a diverse range of topics. From epidemiology to mental health, from treatment to risk prediction, and even drawing lessons from astronauts under space isolation, it offers a comprehensive and digestible read around pandemic prevention and AI.

Check it out: https://shop.elsevier.com/books/innovating-health-against-future-pandemics/mellino/978-0-443-13681-8

We express our profound gratitude to all the editors and authors who contributed their expertise and enthusiasm to this book. Your work is not just a valuable piece of knowledge for our society, but a beacon of hope in the face of future pandemics.

👏 Congratulations for the incredible work.
Mellino; Santus; Dario Motti; Antonella Santuccione Chadha; Castro; Jan de Wilde; Rohner; Rohner; Putignano; Zhavoronkov; Vanhaelen.; Marino; Bischof; (Kunka) Lewis; Serra; Scaboro; Portelli; Chersoni; M. Arenaza-Urquijo; Sumini; Cavallero; Prattichizzo; Lippolis; ZygaSenior Author; Patel; Matthews; Falchi Delgado; Teresa Ferretti; Naim Pharm D MBA; Constable; Cirillo

🤝 Donate today to support the advancement of brain and mental health:
https://womensbrainproject.com/donate

*xandgendermedicine

👉 The latest episode with our CEO, Dr Antonella Santuccione Chadha, is out now!

Together with Cohn, they share their personal experiences and expertise on the disparities in healthcare, particularly in the context of 's and .

🎧 Listen to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pioneering-progress-advancements-in-alzheimers-immunotherapies/id1731864316?i=1000646205446

This episode was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland in January 2024. This episode was hosted by Lui, an author, filmmaker and anchor for NBC and MSNBC. The Brain Health News podcast, part of Health UNMUTED, was created by Mission Based Media in association with the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative.

🤝 Donate today to support the advancement of brain and mental health:
https://womensbrainproject/donate

*xandgendermedicine

"Never felt quite touched by these problems until today".🤔

This was one of the feedback received from an attendee at last Friday's lunchtime MedTalk organized by the Science Club - a student-run organization from Zurich and of Zurich.

Our CEO, Santuccione Chadha had the pleasure of sharing the change that the Women's Brain Foundation is trying to make in our society. 💫 Thank you Andrea Ferrazzini for the invite!

The problem we are trying to solve ➡️ Almost all brain and mental diseases have a *x and bias. However, these biases are not considered in when we study disease and develop novel treatment and/or solutions for and mental .

See below for some impressions of the event👇.

“Best MedTalk of this semester”

“Loved it, she’s an icon!”

“Never felt quite touched by these problems until today"

S*x and gender differences are the first steps towards , acknowledging the specific needs of each . Support our mission to transform medicine and healthcare towards precision medicine today 👉 https://www.womensbrainproject.com/donate/

🌟 Celebrating Progress: Our Work at OneNeurology 🌟

We are thrilled to share our recent experience presenting at the OneNeurology meeting, where we showcased the impactful work of the Women’s Brain Foundation in advancing s*x and gender equity. Engaging with each OneNeurology partner, we exchanged updates and insights that fuel our collective mission.

To our incredible OneNeurology partners worldwide—Dr. Antonella Santuccione Chadha, Stephanie Ludwig, Neerja Chowdhary, Tarun Dua, Sebastian F. Winter, MD PhD, Alison Cox, Joanna Laurson-Doube, Frédéric Destrebecq, Cristina Tassorelli, Olivia Begasse de Dhaem, M.D., FAHS, Karen SPRUYT, Coriene Catsman-Berrevoets, and Tadeusz Hawrot—congratulations on your remarkable contributions!

A heartfelt thank you to Donna Walsh, Orla Galvin BSc PhD, and Iva for the warm invitation and an inspiring meeting.

🤝 Donate today to support the advancement of brain and mental health:
https://womensbrainproject.com/donate

"Did you know that s*x and gender patients characteristic matter also in hashtag ?

Our pro bono CEO Dr Antonella Santuccione Chadha talks about our policy and patients roundtable outcomes and the importance of considering s*x and gender factors in Parkinson's disease research, policy, and healthcare.

If you wish this topic to have the right relevance support our research to publish such findings.

🤝 Donate today to support the advancement of brain and mental health:
https://lnkd.in/epBrMRP5

Episode 11: The Importance of S*x and Gender Factors in Neurodegenerative Disease Research and Care with Antonella Santuccione Chadha | Parkinson's Disease (michaeljfox.org)

Click here to listen: https://lnkd.in/gq7EUV-t

The Lundbeck Mental Health Forum was created to support professional training and facilitate interdisciplinary exchange among experts. This annual national event, aimed at psychiatrists from hospitals and private practices, addresses psychiatric, health, and socio-political issues.

'Diversity and transformation' was the topic of this year's Mental Health Forum and we were proud to be represented by Dr Melanie Einsiedler who spoke about harnessing s*x and gender differences and digital innovations in brain health and Alzheimer’s disease.

Almost all brain and mental disorders present a s*x bias. For example, women are the majority of patients suffering from dementia and depression. Moreover, risk factors, diagnosis, disease symptoms and drug response can differ between men and women.

We are grateful to Dr Melanie Einsiedler for emphasizing that s*x and gender factors need to be considered in basic research and the development of novel treatment solutions.

This is work of the Women's Brain Project and why we were so proud to establish a foundation dedicated to advancing s*x and gender precision medicine research.

In 1 week, ALBA & the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Communication Committee are partnering to host a webinar "Understanding S*x-Based Differences in Brain Research".

WBP Pro-Bono CEO and Co-Founder Dr Antonella Santuccione Chadha will be joining as a speaker to discuss essential methodological aspects to integrate s*x as a variable into experiments in basic and preclinical research.

Dr Antonella Chadha Santuccione, Christina Dalla, Dr Emma Yhnell and Georgia Hodes will provide practical insights on how to track s*x hormone levels, differentiate between s*x differences and s*x-related behaviours, and explore how biological s*x influences pharmacological properties.

Learn more and register here: https://www.fens.org/news-activities/fens-and-societies-calendar/outreach-event/albafenswebinar

ALBA & the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Communication Committee are partnering to host a webinar on s*x-based differences. We will discuss methodological aspects to integrate s*x as a variable into experiments in basic and preclinical brain research.
📝 More information & Registration 👉🏾 https://loom.ly/Du56D6E
📆 13 december 2023, 8 am ET / 2 pm CET / 6:30 pm IST
👥 Christina Dalla (GR), Emma Yhnell (UK), Antonella Santuccione Chadha (CH - Women's Brain Project) & Georgia Hodes (USA)

On the occasion of World Movement Disorders Day, , and during the globally recognised Care Partner Awareness month, the Women’s Brain Project (WBP) held the WBP roundtable on enhancing care in Parkinson’s Disease (PD), supported by sponsorship from AbbVie.

This first roundtable, held on 29th November 2023, brought together key stakeholders to discuss how we can ensure better outcomes in Parkinson’s care by addressing vital policy changes. The intention was to determine the need for action to enhance care in PD and find policy solutions at global, EU and national levels. Central to this is the importance of lived experience, both of the patient and the caregiver, as well as the gender perspective.

“At AbbVie, we understand the realities and challenges that people living with Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders face,” said Dr Maurizio Facheris, Global Development Lead, Neuroscience Development, AbbVie . “This partnership with the Women’s Brain Project reinforces our commitment to advance the standard of care for people living with these neurological disorders, their care partners and their loved ones.”

We thank everyone who participated in the roundtable today for their invaluable contributions. Together we are making a genuine difference to advance care in Parkinson’s.

Learn more about the roundtable: https://www.womensbrainproject.com/2023/11/28/the-womens-brain-project-holds-landmark-roundtable-to-enhance-care-in-parkinsons-disease-pd/

The Women’s Brain Project is glad to share with you all our newest research paper with Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, which focuses on How Brain Capital Can Drive Progress on UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Brain capital, which encompasses the brain health and skills of a population, plays a pivotal role in achieving all of the United Nations' (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Women's Brain Project Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Anna Dé shares, "The Women's Brain Project has been a long-standing supporter of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, we were delighted to be co-authors with Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy on this research paper on How Brain Capital Can Drive Progress on United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. In the paper, our recent work with Economist Impact is highlighted, which demonstrates the economic benefits of investing in s*x- and gender-specific brain research."

The Women's Brain Project Pro-Bono CEO and Co-Founder Dr Antonella Chadha Santuccione shares, "Medicine and neuroscience have not taken s*x and gender factors into consideration in past preclinical or clinical research which results in unequal patient clinical outcomes. This is one of the many critical reasons why the Women's Brain Project has established a foundation dedicated to advancing s*x and gender precision medicine research. WBP is proud to be an example of a brain capital initiative that looks specifically at brain issues affecting women."

Read the full paper here: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/research/how-brain-capital-can-drive-progress-uns-sustainable-development-goals

Economist Impact: S*x, gender and the brain: Towards an inclusive research agenda, 2023 (WBP-commissioned work), https://www.womensbrainproject.com/ei-white-paper/

Support the Women's Brain Project: https://www.womensbrainproject.com/donate/

Today we are overjoyed to share our collaboration with Medscape; our Pro Bono CEO and Co-Founder Dr Antonella Chadha Santuccione was honoured to be featured on Episode 3 of Medscape Education's “Hear from Her” podcast series.

Joined by Wiesje van der Flier, she talks about the differences in neurological and psychiatric disorders—the symptoms, progression, and treatment—among men and women, and the importance of female role models in medicine.

Listen here: https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/997835

Support WBP: https://womensbrainproject.com/donate

“Research on women’s health has been underfunded for decades, and many conditions that mostly or only affect women, or affect women differently, have received little to no attention,” the first lady Jill Biden said in announcing a new White House initiative on women’s health research on 13 November.

“Because of these gaps, we know far too little about how to manage and treat conditions like endometriosis, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. These gaps are even greater for communities that have historically been excluded from research – including women of color and women with disabilities.”

Read more in The Guardian:

Despite decades of promises, health research still overlooks women Women are underrepresented in clinical trials, and even lab mice are predominantly male – and the effects show up in almost every aspect of human health

It is a privilege and an honour for the Women's Brain Project to be one of the supporters of the EU Manifesto for Women’s Health

Women’s health is an unfinished agenda with large gaps and unmet needs persisting. S*x and gender are not systematically integrated into policy, programmes, education, training, research, data collection and analysis.

In terms of brain and mental health, the manifesto highlights that women bear a disproportionate burden in conditions such as dementia, depression and anxiety.

We were particularly delighted to see that the WBP-Commissioned Economist Impact White Paper is referenced stating that: S*x and gender affect the prevalence, onset and progression of neurological disorders. The most prevalent brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, migraine and multiple sclerosis are more common in women compared to men.

WBP supports the European Institute of Women's Health, CLG (EIWH) in the call for an EU Strategy for Women’s Health and is delighted to see the establishment of the Women’s Health Interest Group in the European Parliament to focus on women’s health issues and drive gender equity in health agenda in Europe.

Concerted action must be taken to improve women’s health in Europe by integrating s*x and gender in research, disaggregating data by s*x, gender and age, and translating s*x and gender differences into regulatory and healthcare practice. That’s why WBP is establishing a Foundation, which will operate the Research Institute for S*x and Gender Precision Medicine.



EU Manifesto for Women’s Health 2024:
https://eurohealth.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/EIWH-Manifesto-for-Womens-Health-2.pdf

More about the Women’s Health Interest Group: https://eurohealth.ie/womens-health-interest-group/

WBP-Commissioned Economist Impact White Paper: https://www.womensbrainproject.com/ei-white-paper/

Cases of neurological and psychiatric disorders, two different but related branches of brain disorders, are escalating around the world.

Your continued support of the Women's Brain Project is making a difference. This year, we were so proud to establish the Foundation dedicated to advancing s*x and gender precision medicine research and this is thanks to collaborative efforts.

In this piece in POLITICO Europe, we are glad to see they have highlighted the need for collaboration.
"The global crisis in brain health — with complicated roots, hard-to-treat disorders and far-reaching effects — is an issue that no single organization or government can solve. Instead, a network of organizations, experts and funding bodies is needed."

Please collaborate with us as we continue to change the world together: https://www.womensbrainproject.com/donate/

Read more from POLITICO Europe:
https://www.politico.eu/sponsored-content/a-united-front-against-the-global-brain-health-emergency/

A united front against the global brain health emergency Aging populations are leading to a rise in brain disorders. Our health systems are not ready to cope.

Social isolation and loneliness are increasing globally.

Did you know that lack of social connection increases your risk of developing dementia? Social connection is vital to our brain and mental health.

The Women's Brain Project is glad to see the new World Health Organization (WHO)'s commission to foster social connection.

“High rates of social isolation and loneliness around the world have serious consequences for health and well-being. People without enough strong social connections are at higher risk of stroke, anxiety, dementia, depression, su***de and more,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “This WHO Commission will help establish social connection as a global health priority and share the most promising interventions.”

Read more:

WHO launches commission to foster social connection Released in advance of tomorrow’s International Day of Friendship, a new advocacy brief highlights that social isolation and loneliness among older people are widespread globally.

"Brain health is health," says Steph Blanco in this new TEDx Talk which asks the question, "Why is Functional Neurological Disorder so poorly understood?"

Learn more: https://youtu.be/sRwy8z8Fmww?si=quJfyIU2ToNZIJqk

Why is Functional Neurological Disorder so poorly understood? | Steph Blanco | TEDxBrayford Pool Functional Neurological Disorder is the second most commonly diagnosed condition in neurology, so why is it still poorly understood? Neuropsychology lecturer...

The Women's Brain Project commends the Memorandum on the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. Women's health research has been critically underfunded for centuries.

"Research gaps are especially acute for diseases and conditions that are more prevalent among women and for health conditions associated with women’s midlife and later years, including perimenopause and menopause."

We were delighted to see that the White House not only highlights conditions specific to women such as endometriosis and fibroids, but also covers conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, mental health conditions, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disorders.
In AP News, Maria Shriver said that women make up two-thirds of those afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Women suffer from depression and anxiety at twice the levels of men.

The White House also states that "increasing investments in women’s health research can yield broad societal gains, including lower health care costs and a more productive and inclusive workforce."

We are so encouraged to see the United States taking this step. We can never emphasise enough that this investment into women's health research needs to happen globally. This is one of the many reasons we were so proud to establish a foundation dedicated to advancing s*x and gender precision medicine research just this year.

Collaborative efforts are needed if we want to change the world. Join us by supporting our work today: https://www.womensbrainproject.com/donate/

Read more in AP News: Jill Biden will lead new initiative to boost federal government research into women's health | AP News

Read the White House Memorandum: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/11/13/memorandum-on-the-white-house-initiative-on-womens-health-research/

The Women's Brain Project was proud to be represented by Vinciane Patelou at The European Academy of Neurology's 2023 Brain Health Summit, “Brain Disorders: the neglected burden in non-communicable diseases (NCDs).”

WBP was encouraged to see that it was highlighted that women are a key pillar of the advocacy for brain diseases, both as patients themselves and as caregivers. More needs to be done to support individuals with brain diseases, their caregivers and their families.

Geert Dom, President of the European Psychiatric Association, highlighted that women, as caregivers, carry the burden that society does not help them to carry; the caregiver burden is the hidden burden within the burden of brain disorders.

It was incredible to listen to the testimonials from Leontien Sickenga, from the European Narcolepsy Alliance for Patients, who is a mother of two with narcolepsy herself; and Isabella Brambilla, from the ePAG EpiCARE Reference Network, who is a mother of a teenager with Dravey syndrome.

Vinciane Patelou, who represented WBP, shares, “The experience they shared made me reflect, one more time, on how women are affected in a very different way when it comes to brain disorders. One is a patient with narcolepsy, the other, is the mother of a child with severe epilepsy. Both talked about the stigma and the burden they had to lift, almost on their own, to find a way for their families to live their lives.”

A collaborative approach to prioritise improved care, treatment, support and research in brain health is vital. We are encouraged and inspired to continue our work to establish the first Research Institute for S*x and Gender Precision Medicine and Care.

Thank you to Vinciane Patelou for representing us and to the European Academy of Neurology for the amazing event.

We look forward to the next Brain Health Summit in May 2024.

Did you know that informal carers are predominantly women? Why does this matter?

"Intense provision of informal care is associated with negative effects on mental health and labour market attainment, such as a reduction of hours worked and earlier retirement."

The Women's Brain Project is pleased to see the new Health at a Glance has been published.
Health at a Glance provides a comprehensive set of indicators on population health and health system performance across OECD - OCDE members and key emerging economies. These cover health status, risk factors for health, access to and quality of healthcare, and health system resources.

We were also glad to see the s*x and gender perspective covered from not only in caregiving but also in mental health care and treatment.

Also highlighted was the use of antipsychotic drugs in dementia. Inappropriate use of these drugs remains widespread and reducing their overuse is a policy priority for many OECD countries.

Age-standardised rates of antipsychotic prescribing were higher for women than for men in every OECD country. On average across 19 OECD countries, women were 25% more likely to be prescribed antipsychotic medication than men.

"Prescription of antipsychotics is higher in elderly women than men. This can be explained also by the higher number of women institutionalised. Antipsychotics are not representing a cure but rather a symptomatic treatment which is also a proxy indicator of poor standard of care," says Women's Brain Project Co-founder and Pro Bono CEO Dr Antonella Santuccione Chadha, "Time to revert this narrative by understanding why women suffer more of dementia and how we can bring female tailored cure and treatment to patients in need. The Women's Brain Project is exactly focusing on this by establishing a Foundation focused on s*x and gender precision medicine where women will be finally at the centre of clinical development from preclinical to clinical research."

Read Health at a Glance: https://www.oecd.org/health/health-at-a-glance/

Diese Woche Dr. Antonella Santuccione Chadha, CEO des Women's Brain Project, auf dieser erstaunlichen Veranstaltung sprechen.

In a recent ViewPoint published in JAMA Neurology, researchers have highlighted on the importance of considering patient s*x in prescribing CGRP Receptor Antagonists for the short-term treatment of migraines.

Migraine is a common neurological disorder affecting approximately 1 billion people worldwide, with a significant majority (~700 million) being women. This has led to a female predominance in clinical trials, where most patients (~85%) are women.

The introduction of drugs and biologics that interfere with the signaling of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has expanded therapeutic options for the short-term and preventive treatment of migraines. These include monoclonal antibodies targeting CGRP or the CGRP receptor, as well as small-molecule CGRP-R antagonists. This research emphasizes the relevance of s*x-specific differences in the treatment of migraines, including evidence from trials of CGRP therapeutics, and the clinical implications for decision-making in practice and trial design.

For more details, check out the full article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/article-abstract/2807206.

Let's continue to stay informed and make strides in precision medicine!

In 2019, our pro bono CEO Dr Dr Antonella Santuccione Chadha was honoured as Woman of the Year by 'WOMEN IN BUSINESS' magazine, recognized among the Top 100 women in Switzerland.

This year, after thorough consideration and a challenging decision-making process, the Women's Brain Project is excited to pass the torch to Carolina Müller-Möhl.

Carolina is a passionate advocate for women's rights in Switzerland and globally, aligning perfectly with the goals of the Women's Brain Project. She has been a mentor to our project since its inception, inspiring us by exemplifying the values we hold dear, and “walking the talk” with us.

Her impact through taskforce4women has been and continues to be an inspiration and encouragement for us even as we established the Women's Brain Project Foundation dedicated to advancing s*x and gender precision medicine research just this year.

We know that all of you also support our goals and mission, and we invite you to share your support for Carolina Müller-Möhl for the 2023 Women In Business Top 100 of Switzerland!

«Unsere Mission besteht darin, die Entwicklung von Medikamenten und medizinischen Behandlungen durch die Faktoren Geschlecht und Gender zu transformieren, als Zugang zu einer Präzisionsmedizin und ‑pflege, die den einzelnen Patienten zugeschnitten ist», sagt WBP-Präsident Matthias Burkhalter.

Erfahren Sie mehr: https://spendenmagazin.stiftungschweiz.ch/weil-frauen-und-maenner-anders-krank-sind/

Spenden: https://www.womensbrainproject.com/donate/

Did you know that in women, lower scores in specific memory tests correlate with a higher risk of AD?

This highlights the importance of tailoring assessments based on gender.

Dr Ting Fang Alvin Ang, Data Core Co-lead at FHS-BAP and Dr. Rhoda Au, Director of Neuropsychology for the FHS, emphasize, “By exploring all facets of neuropsychological assessment, we can pave the way for a future where s*x-specific predictive models can lead us closer to preventing Alzheimer’s Disease and optimizing cognitive well-being for every individual.”

Dr Antonella Chadha Santuccione, pro bono CEO at WBP underscores the significance of these results, stating, “These findings highlight the urgency of understanding not only the pathophysiological difference in Alzheimer’s disease between men and women but most importantly the impact of those on clinical read out measurements such as we can optimise clinical development. The “one size fits all” approach common in medicine does not best serve Alzheimer’s patients.”

Learn more in our latest press release: https://www.womensbrainproject.com/2023/10/30/press-release-the-womens-brain-project-and-framingham-heart-study-brain-aging-program-uncover-gender-differences-in-alzheimers-diagnosis/

In 1 week, the Women’s Brain Project will be speaking at the first-ever Digital Inclusion Event in Ticino!

This event will bring together a dynamic community of experts, practitioners, regulators and all those looking to advance their career in these sectors. We look forward to delving into a wide array of crucial themes.

Our Scientific & Medical Affairs Manager, Dr Laura Castro-Aldrete will be joining Prof. Andrea E. Rizzoli and Dr Marija Plodinec as a keynote speaker.

Learn more: https://ated.ch/en/event/digital-inclusion-ticino