Kim Lameront was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND) following an injury during brain surgery. Months later, she still feels left in the dark.

“I wasn’t really told how to navigate this. It was very isolating,” she said. “There was a gap, and while I was in recreational therapy, I was asking my therapist what there is for support, and she said there is nothing.”

Recent studies are showing women are more likely to develop brain diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s, and not just because women live longer.

“There’s at least 45 per cent of the risk factors for dementia that we have some control over. And unfortunately, women tend to have less control over some of those things, and they’re more at risk for some of those, including things like depression,” said Dr. Allison Sekuler, Sandra Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Chief Scientist at Baycrest.

FND is also two to three times more commonly found in women.

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“For a long time, it was sort of treated as, oh, this is just another thing that women are making up. And it is real. It’s just challenging to diagnose,” said Sekuler, talking about FND.

“It’s not something that you can see on a brain scan because the brain is functionally intact, but the wiring in the brain isn’t working as well.”

With little research and awareness out there, there is also a lack of support.

Lameront took matters into her own hands and created a support organization called Healing Horizons where people can access resources and coping strategies.

“When I was first diagnosed and researching, I found out that FND is actually one of the most common disorders that neurologists diagnose, but why doesn’t anybody know what FND is? So, the awareness needs to get out there.”

Whether it’s FND or Alzheimer’s, there are things people can do to help improve brain health, but if somebody thinks something is wrong, it’s best to get it checked out.

“I think we need to really get the word out about that and to make sure that women know, and men as well. If you feel something is wrong, get it checked out,” said Sekuler.

Watch above for more on FND and women’s brain health.

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