Disorderly Movements

In this captivating memoir, Anne Buckingham Young shares her trailblazing journey in the male-dominated world of 20th century medicine towards becoming the first female chief at a major United States academic teaching hospital. Anne recounts her remarkable laboratory experiences identifying new neurotransmitters and their receptors. She shares her life with husband and collaborator Jack Penney, their quest to understand the brain circuits responsible for disorderly movements and their adventures in the hunt for the Huntington's disease gene with neuropsychologist Nancy Wexler. When Jack dies suddenly, Anne must confront her personal demons and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Through it all, Anne builds a cutting-edge research center, offering hope for new therapies for movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. This raw and honest portrayal is a testament to the power of perseverance and resilience. It is a must-read for anyone who has ever faced adversity and come out the other side stronger.

• Recounts the remarkable history of a woman navigating the male-dominated field of clinical neuroscience in the 20th century to becoming the first female chair of neurology at Mass General Hospital
• Follows the work of Anne Buckingham Young, her husband and collaborator Jack Penney and geneticist Nancy Wexler in their hunt for the Huntingdon's disease gene in Venezuela
• In a raw and honest portrayal, the author shares her experience of the sudden death of her husband and long-term research partner and how it forced her to face her own personal demons, coming to terms with a late diagnosis of bipolar disorder
• A journey of resilience and determination