One of the very first lessons in journalism is recognizing the importance of an interview. It is often referred to as the mainstay of the profession. An article or even a video report is rarely published without some sort of quote or first-hand account.
There is a good reason for this. Seeking out primary sources and accounts from those who were part of an event adds credibility to reporting. It allows the journalist to clarify facts and offer a perspective and a context that would otherwise be missing. Moreover, it ensures that when reporting is printed, posted, or aired, it is as accurate as possible.
In this regard, journalism is not unlike scientific research. Investigators and journalists both ask questions and seek answers. In journalism, the questions and answers revolve around who, what, where, when, why, and how? In science, reports focus on who and what is studied, when and how the outcome came to be, and why it may be of value.
My goal as WHRY’s communications officer is to ensure the public knows about the emerging developments in women’s health and the role sex and gender play in health outcomes. It is why I consistently rely on the mainstay of journalism – the interview.
There is no better source for information on scientific research than the scientist who planned and conducted the experiment, analyzed the data, and explained the findings. Recently, I have been sitting down with several WHRY-funded investigators to learn more about their work so that I can report it as accurately as possible.
From neurologist Carolyn Fredericks, MD, I was reminded that two-thirds of those in our nation who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are women. Dr. Fredericks is working to understand if sex differences in brain connectivity can explain this. For example, her research has shown that women rely on certain brain connections differently than men and at an earlier age. The repeated use of these connections over a life span cause “wear and tear,” which could potentially make women more vulnerable to AD.
In my conversation with psychologist Sarah Lichenstein, PhD, she drew my attention to that fact that women are the biggest users of cannabidiol (CBD) and since anxiety is more common in women than men, it is no surprise many women are using CBD to ease anxiety symptoms. Although, the effect of CBD on brain functioning has begun to be studied in men, it has not been studied in women. Dr. Lichenstein is, for the first time, investigating how CBD affects anxiety in women, whether it has benefit and, if so, how it should be used.
Each conversation was enlightening and offered me the chance to ask follow-up questions – the kind of questions you might ask. As a result of these interviews, the articles are enhanced by first-hand knowledge from the scientist responsible for the work. When the scientist is the source, readers get a perspective like no other.
News You Need to Know
- The FDA has approved a new treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) through the Accelerated Approval Pathway – offered for serious conditions where there is an unmet need.
- Dr. Christopher Van Dyck at Yale, the lead author on the trial publication, commented that “based on the data from this trial, lecanemab appears to slow disease progression in the early stages of AD. It targets amyloid beta protein in the brain – a hallmark feature of AD.”
- The long-term clinical benefit of the drug, marketed as Leqembi, is not yet known. However, a trial is already underway to determine whether administration of the drug to asymptomatic individuals with elevated brain amyloid might slow decline even more.