DALLAS >> Historically, the male body has been the default in scientific studies. Lab rats? Male. Test subjects? Men. This stark gender gap was a key focus at the Empowering Women through BrainHealth conference last week.

Scientists cannot answer questions they do not see. For male neuroscientists studying the aging brain, menopause was likely never “visible,” according to Emily Jacobs, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences from the University of California Santa Barbara, who spoke this week at the Empowering Women through BrainHealth conference.

When 99.5% of neuroscience research overlooks women’s health, the mysteries of the female brain remain unsolved, Jacobs said.

The Center for BrainHealth in Dallas hosted a women’s brain health conference on Wednesday. Experts nationwide attended to discuss the pressing gender gap in neuroscience research and its implications for women’s mental and physical well-being.

“It’s become clear to many of us in this room that positioning women’s health and prioritizing it will take a global shift in science culture,” Jacobs said, “That shift can start now, it can start here, it can start with all of us using the tools of talent and the resources we have to push for change.”

The event at the Center for BrainHealth, a part of the University of Texas at Dallas, featured leading voices such as Jacobs, Judith Joseph, a doctor from New York University, and Jessica Shepherd, a doctor from Sanctum Med Wellness, among others, who shared insights on the latest scientific breakthroughs and practical strategies for empowering women.

Addressing unique experiences

Experts advocated for a holistic approach to brain health, recognizing women’s unique experiences during life stages like pregnancy and menopause.

“Menopause is so understudied and is a process all of us have to live through,” said Mia Solis, an attendee at the conference. “It’s like pregnancy; not all pregnancies are the same, but some commonalities can help us navigate the changes. “I’m here because I have a daughter, and I want to be able to help her in the future.”

The conference underscored the urgent need for a global shift in scientific culture to prioritize women’s health, emphasizing it is both understudied and underfunded. The oversight is significant given that 65% out of 70% of people with Alzheimer’s have depression and are women, according to Jacobs’ article “Bridging the neuroscience gender divide.”One condition addressed at the conference was anhedonia, a psychological condition characterized by a lack of pleasure or interest in previously enjoyable activities. According to Joseph, the condition is becoming more prevalent due to poor brain health and excessive use of technology.

“Human beings don’t like uncertainty… we need to know what we are dealing with, and people should know they are experiencing anhedonia,” Joseph said.

She emphasized that the decline in everyday experiences outside of screens and its impact on brain health leads to a lack of brain health.

Call to action

“What if we address the understudied areas and use that knowledge to ask questions nobody else asks?” Solis said. “As Dr. Judith said, ‘Why wait until people are depressed to do something?’ We can reduce depression if we are adequately informed.”

Discussions highlighted the importance of community support and proactive mental health strategies, encouraging women to take charge of their well-being.

“What if we set fire to the status quo? Demand better, broader data to study women, and thousands of them. We start a revolution in neuroscience or join those who already have,” a video asked the audience at the conference.

The conversation also touched on the potential of precision brain health, which focuses on individual experiences rather than group averages, to foster proactive mental health care.

“Disconnect, enjoy the food, breathe, socialize outside of social media; that’s how we take care of our brain health,” Solis said.

Distributed by Tribune News Service.