On Friday, October 10, the Department of Neurology welcomed Carlayne Jackson, M.D., FAAN, as its featured speaker for the third annual Arthur R. Dick M.D. Professorship Lecture.  

Jackson, a professor of neurology and otolaryngology at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, presented to a hybrid audience in Clendening Auditorium at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Jackson’s lecture, “The Neurologist’s Role in Promoting Brain Health,” explored the many ways in which neurologists can advocate for brain health through patient care, research and community outreach. 

“The future of brain health depends on what we do moving forward,” Jackson said during her lecture. 

As immediate past president of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), Jackson drew on research and advocacy work done by the organization’s Brain Health Initiative, which seeks to “enhance brain health at every stage of life.” Jackson also introduced the concept of preventive neurology, an emerging field that seeks to protect and promote brain health through preventative strategies such as diet, exercise and healthy sleep patterns. 

“You can’t have a healthy body without a healthy brain,” Jackson said. 

Following her lecture, Dr. Jackson received a plaque from Department Chair Gary Gronseth, M.D., and visited with attendees. 

The annual lectureship, established by Dr. Dick himself after his 2019 retirement, brings friends and alumni of the department to Kansas City for a regular exchange of ideas and knowledge in the field of neurology. A professor of neurology at KU Medical Center for 50 years, Dr. Dick passed away in 2024.