Indiana Neurological Society Memorial to Dr. Mark Dyken

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great sadness that I must inform all of you of the passing of Dr. Mark Dyken. He died peacefully on the evening of February 5, 2021 after battling some chronic health problems.

Dr. Dyken was one of the 4 Neurologists who founded the Indiana Neurological Society in 1965. He received his Bachelor’s and Medical Degrees from Indiana University. He completed his residency training in the Department of Neurology at the Indiana University School of Medicine where he ultimately became Chairman from 1971 to 1994. During that time the University honored him with the Glen W. Irwin Jr., MD Distinguished Faculty Award, and four different medical school classes elected him Outstanding Professor. Many of us practicing Neurology in Indiana, today, were likely in some of those classes.

He was not just beloved at Indiana University; he also earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues nationally and internationally. He was honored with hundreds of visiting professorships, including 14 named lectureships. He was asked to give the Willis Lecture of the International Stroke Conference. He was named Professor Ad-Honorem at the University of Uruguay. He also received the Gold Heart Award which is the highest honor bestowed by the American Heart Association. He served as president of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, the Association of University Professors of Neurology, and the Association for the Advancement of Mental Health Research and Education.

Dr. Dyken’s primary clinical and research interest was stroke. He led the first prospective controlled trial for stroke in the 1950’s. He has had copious publications throughout his career. During the 1970’s through the 1990’s, he was involved in some capacity with every North American trial of antiplatelet medication for the prevention of stroke. He also published extensively on the topics of risk factors for stroke and the use of endarterectomy to prevent stroke. He even served as the Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Stroke, for eight years.

Dr. Dyken truly loved Neurology. He loved his patients, his students, his colleagues, his research, and his department. To say that he was an effective physician would be a tremendous understatement. He literally changed lives. He changed the lives of patients, students, and Neurologists. There are literally hundreds of exceptional Neurologists saving patients because of the existence and efforts of this man. He has left an unforgettable legacy, and he will surely be missed.

The Indiana Neurological Society would like to extend our sincerest condolences to Dr. Dyken’s family for their loss. We would also like to express our appreciation to his family for sharing him with all of us in the Neurology community for so many years.

Mark, say “Hi” to Charlie for us, and although, you are not likely to see much stroke anymore, I am sure you will find someone who will want to learn about the nervous system from an expert like you.

Bob Flint, MD, PhD

Past President, Indiana Neurological Society