Janice E. Brunstrom-Hernandez, MD, director of the Pediatric Neurology Cerebral Palsy Center, with patient Bryn Adams and her dad, Keith.

 
Robert Boston

Janice E. Brunstrom-Hernandez, MD, director of the Pediatric Neurology Cerebral Palsy Center, with patient Bryn Adams and her dad, Keith.

 

BY STEPHANIE STEMMLER

The timing is right to advance the field of neurosciences.

The number of people affected by degenerative brain diseases is growing as the population ages, while mental illness affects 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children in the United States. In multiple ways, we see the physical, emotional, and financial toll of brain disorders and diseases upon society.

Our researchers have developed a highly accurate diagnostic tool for autism and are homing in on the disease’s genetic triggers. We are leading worldwide clinical trials to test new drugs that may prevent or halt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Investigators at Washington University are leading a coalition of scientists who are undertaking the effort to map the human brain.

At the School of Medicine, there is a confluence of research expertise and a rich legacy of pioneering advances in neurosciences that goes back more than 50 years. Diverse collaborations are underway in fields such as neurosurgery and neurology, psychiatry, neuroimaging, molecular biology, and pathology — all trying to unravel the enigma that is the human mind and brain.

The field of neurosciences is poised to make significant medical advances over the next two decades. With your support, we can lead the way in this important area of research and clinical care.

We invite you to be a part of this historic endeavor.

 
 
 

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