Mary A. O'Neal, MD

Associate Professor of Neurology

Biographical Sketch

Dr. O’Neal is an expert in Women’s Neurology and Functional Neurologic Disorders (FND).  She was the Chief of General Neurology and the Director of the Women’s Neurology Program and fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She is a member of the FNDS educational committee and co-director of the FND patient liaison committee.  Further, she’s written multiple papers on these subjects and edited several books. Recognizing that 80-90% of patients with functional neurologic disorders, FNDs, are women, she initiated and organized a FND clinic with neuropsychiatry.  She has given talks on women’s health in neurology both nationally and internationally. She also directed a Harvard Medical School course in Women’s Neurology and Psychiatry and for many years directed the Neurology of Pregnancy course at the American Academy of Neurology.

Education & Training

  • Oregon Health Sciences University- MD

Postdoctoral Training:

  • Residency in Neurology at Boston University
  • Stroke Fellowship at Boston University                                                                                       

Specialized Areas of Clinical, Research and/or Education Interests

Clinical women’s neurology and functional neurologic disorders

Board Certifications

Board certified in Neurology and Psychiatry

Professional Organization Membership

  • Member of the American Academy of Neurology
  • Member of the Functional Neurologic Disorder Society

Honors & Awards

2017 Chosen to participate in the Clinical Process Improvement Program
2019-2020 Transforming Leadership Program, AAN; 10 candidates/year chosen from a national pool as part of this elite program.  I was chosen based on my project to improve ambulatory access to neurology.
6/2020- 6/2024 House Chair for the Massachusetts General Brigham residency program
6/2021Recipient of the Brigham Health 2021 Distinguished Clinician Award

Selected Recent Publications

  1. Waters JFR, OʼNeal MA, Pilato M, Waters S, Larkin JC, Waters JH. Management of Anesthesia and Delivery in Women With Chiari I Malformations. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Nov;132(5):1180-1184. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002943. PMID: 30303901.
  2. Polich G, Zalanowski S, Maney J, Perez DL, Baslet G, Maggio J, O'Neal MA, Dworetzky B, Herman S. Development of an inpatient rehabilitation pathway for motor functional neurological disorders: Initial reflections. NeuroRehabilitation. 2022;50(2):231-243. doi: 10.3233/NRE-228006. PMID: 35213332.
  3. Bernstein C, Coleman A, Houtchens M, Dworetzky B, O’Neal M. Professional Fulfillment- A Pilot Study to Decrease Burnout in Clinical Academic Neurology Faculty. Healthcare Administration Leadership & Management Journal. (2023);1(3)123/126. https://doi.org/10.55834/halmj.6551920727
  4. Polich G, Baslet G, O’Neal MA, Gupta R, Raynor G. Functional neurological disorder (FND) presenting after concussion: A retrospective case series. JNP accepted Dec 27, 2023.
  5. Joseph A, Baslet G, O’ Neal MA, Polich GR,      Gonsalvez I, Christoforou AN, Dworetzky BA , and Spagnolo PA. Prevalence of autoimmune diseases in functional neurological disorder: influence of psychiatric comorbidities and biological sex. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry Published Online First: 21 March 2024. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2023-332825
Mary A O'Neal
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