Bakhtawar Ahmad1, Daniela Pomar-Forero1, Katharina Busl1, Carolina Maciel1
1University of Florida
Objective:
To feature the women who played a significant role in the development of EEG as a clinical tool.
Background:
The initial years of EEG research saw landmark contributions by various scientists credited with establishing the field, including W. Grey Walter, Hallowell Davis, and Alexander Forbes. However, it was not only on their account that the field moved forward; women also played a vital role.
Design/Methods:
We identified pioneer female researchers through articles on history of EEG. The details on their life and contributions were abstracted from historical archives and online resources.
Results:
Four pioneering women, Erna L. Gibbs, Pauline A. Davis, Ellen Grass, and Mary A.B Brazier were identified. Only 1 article dedicated to the work of Ellen Grass was found. No articles specifically discussing contributions of Erna L. Gibbs, Mary A.B Brazier, or Pauline A. Davis were retrieved. Erna Gibbs and Pauline A. Davis were part of the team that first recorded the characteristic 3 Hz spike-and-wave activity of absence epilepsy. Erna Gibbs authored the first EEG manual comprising traces of over 10,000 recordings. She was involved in the research on localization of seizure foci using EEG for epilepsy surgery. Pauline A. Davis first reported evoked response potentials using auditory stimuli. Mary A.B Brazier pioneered the application of computational analysis to EEG recordings through correlation and auto-correlation analysis of EEG signals. She played central role in the establishment of International Brain Research Organization, and was the president of International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Ellen Grass helped establish “The Grass Instruments Company”, which played a vital role in the technological development of EEG.
Conclusions:
All four women played a pivotal role in advancing the research on EEG. We underscore the mismatch between the magnitude of the legacy left by women and the recognition of their contributions in the field of neurophysiology.
Disclaimer: Abstracts were not reviewed by Neurology® and do not reflect the views of Neurology® editors or staff.