Gender and the Brain: Exploring the Impact of Multiple Sclerosis on Neurocognition in Women

The first talk of the Winter 2025 Feminist Lunch Series to be given on Friday, Jan. 24 at 12:30pm in the Harriet Irving Library’s Innovation Hub, Room 316, on UNB Campus in Fredericton by Dr. Veronica Whitford and her PhD student Courtney Stacey.

The talk is titled: “Gender and the Brain: Exploring the Impact of Multiple Sclerosis on Neurocognition in Women”.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition that disrupts the transmission of electrical signals between the brain and body, leading to a variety of symptoms, such as muscle weakness, numbness/tingling, and mobility issues. MS disproportionately affects women; genetic, hormonal, and/or immune system factors may contribute to this discrepancy. Although the physical symptoms of MS in women are well-established, scant research has focused on its neurocognitive impact. While some studies suggest that women with MS may experience difficulties with attention, memory, and processing speed, it is unclear how other aspects of cognition, such as language, are affected. We will present some preliminary findings from our research investigating language and related cognitive processes in women with MS.

Dr. Veronica Whitford is an Associate Professor and NSERC Canada Research Chair in the Department of Psychology at UNB. She received her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from McGill University. She completed two post-doctoral fellowships in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. The first was at the University of Western Ontario and the second was at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She worked as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) before joining UNB.

Courtney Stacey is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in Experimental Psychology at UNB who completed her honours thesis and NSERC USRA training under Dr. Whitford. She graduated with an Honours BA in Psychology (Neuroscience Specialization) at UNB. She is passionate about exploring how neurodegenerative disorders impact cognition, language, and quality of life, which is the central focus of my graduate research.

All are welcome!

The Feminist Lunch Series is organized by the UNB Gender & Women’s Studies Program, the UNB/STU University Women’s Centre, UNB Libraries and UNB Alumnae association. For more information on the series, contact Sophie Lavoie (lavoie@unb.ca).

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