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1 - Introduction: why we wrote this book

from Part I - The woman with epilepsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 November 2009

Martha J. Morrell
Affiliation:
Professor of Clinical Neurology, Columbia University; Director of the Columbia Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital
Martha J. Morrell
Affiliation:
Columbia University, New York
Kerry L. Flynn
Affiliation:
Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
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Summary

Martha J. Morrell is a Professor of Neurology at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City and is Director of the Columbia Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital. She has been elected an International Ambassador for Epilepsy by the International League Against Epilepsy and she chairs the National Epilepsy Foundation. Dr Morrell is the principal investigator on a number of epilepsy research trials examining reproductive health and hormones in women with epilepsy and bone health in women receiving antiepileptic drugs.

MJM

In many ways, epilepsy is a different disease in a woman than in a man. The differences arise because of biological differences between women and men, but also because of the different social roles they play. As a result of these biological and social differences, women with epilepsy face special challenges, especially in the area of reproductive health (Table 1.1).

The experiential differences between women and men with epilepsy became clear to me in the very earliest years of my career as a neurologist specializing in the treatment of epilepsy. My background had been in studying the effects of male and female sex hormones on certain types of behavior, so I was well aware of the significant effects these hormones could have on many brain centers. Therefore, I was not at all surprised when women with epilepsy explained to me that their seizures appeared to vary with their menstrual cycles.

Type
Chapter
Information
Women with Epilepsy
A Handbook of Health and Treatment Issues
, pp. 3 - 6
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2003

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  • Introduction: why we wrote this book
    • By Martha J. Morrell, Professor of Clinical Neurology, Columbia University; Director of the Columbia Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.001
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  • Introduction: why we wrote this book
    • By Martha J. Morrell, Professor of Clinical Neurology, Columbia University; Director of the Columbia Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction: why we wrote this book
    • By Martha J. Morrell, Professor of Clinical Neurology, Columbia University; Director of the Columbia Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital
  • Edited by Martha J. Morrell, Columbia University, New York, Kerry L. Flynn, Columbia-Presbyterian Cancer Center, New York
  • Book: Women with Epilepsy
  • Online publication: 02 November 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511545030.001
Available formats
×