University of Cincinnati Department of Neurology & Rehabilitation Medicine

Could daydreaming actually be healthy for your brain? Dr. Rhonna Shatz discusses recent research with WVXU on daydreaming and whether it's beneficial...

Could daydreaming actually be healthy for your brain? Experts discuss recent research on daydreaming and whether it's beneficial.

Study shows long-term stroke survival improving

Overall rates of long-term survival following stroke are improving, but Black individuals experience worse long-term outcomes compared to white individuals, according to College of Medicine research published online July 15, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. David Robinson, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine and corresponding author on the research, says prior studies had examined short-term stroke outcomes of 30 or 60 days, but this time the team looked at survival rates five years past a person’s stroke.

Among patients with acute ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, five-year mortality after stroke improved from 53% in 1993-94 to 48.3% in 2015, an absolute decline nearly double what would be expected in the general population. There were no changes in five-year survival for patients following an intracerebral hemorrhage, the most severe type of stroke.

While the overall numbers are improving, Black individuals were found to be 20% more likely to die within five years after an ischemic stroke than white individuals. Previous research confirmed that strokes are more common in Black individuals, but this research found for the first time that long-term outcomes are worse for Black patients.

UC study: Long-term stroke survival improving, but racial disparities remain New research from the University of Cincinnati published in the journal Neurology found long-term survival rates following acute ischemic strokes are improving, but Black individuals experience worse long-term outcomes compared to white individuals.

Dr. Pooja Khatri profiled in recent issue of The Lancet

Pooja Khatri, MD, professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, was recently featured by The Lancet. The profile article “Pooja Khatri: Driven by Appreciation and Gratitude,” was included in the June 2024 edition of the journal.

In the profile, Khatri, who also serves as director of the National Institutes of Health StrokeNet clinical research network, discusses her father’s journey from India to the United States, how he passed on to her a love of science and how she decided during college to become a physician.

“I did a study abroad programme in a remote part of India and ... I had this opportunity to go and see some of the poorest outlying villages. The only doctor in these villages was actually a veterinarian, which made me realise that I wanted to become a physician who could do things for people in need,” Khatri says.

Pooja Khatri: driven by appreciation and gratitude Pooja Khatri has had an illustrious career so far. Currently a professor, vice chair, and division chief in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Cincinnati (OH, USA), and Director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) StrokeNet clinical research networ...

2024 Striker Lecture now available online

The 15th Annual Cecil Striker Society Lecture, “Cincinnati Neurology: From Astute Human Observations to Life-changing Therapies,” is now available online.

Delivered on May 7 by Joseph Broderick, MD, Class of 1982, professor, Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, and director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute, the presentation detailed the 77-year history of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine and its role in advancing understanding and treatment of brain diseases and neuromuscular disorders. Broderick, a founding member of the UC Stroke Team and a 2010 Daniel Drake Medalist, served as chair of the department from 2000 until 2013.

15th Annual Cecil Striker Society Lecture examined neurology at the University of Cincinnati | LiBlog 15th Annual Cecil Striker Society Lecture examined neurology at the University of Cincinnati Posted on July 8, 2024 by Devhra Bennettjones Lecture video now available for viewing. Among the joys of the spring season at the Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions is the annu...

UC study: Severe ischemic strokes rare in patient population

A new study provides more insight into how few patients have severe ischemic strokes compared to the total stroke patient population in the region. Yasmin Aziz, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, presented a poster on the team’s findings last week during the European Stroke Organisation Conference in Basel, Switzerland.

Using data from the ongoing Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Study, the team found nearly 90% of all patients who arrive at the hospital within 24 hours of symptom onset have minimal ischemic damage on their CT scans, or scores of 9-10 on the 10-point scale. When narrowing down the data to the most severe type of stroke caused by blood clots in the brain, the team found around 14% of these patients have the most severe damage, or scores of 0-2 on the scale.

“Low scores indicate bigger strokes, while higher scores indicate smaller ones,” says Aziz. “Much of our early treatment options and long-term prognosis depend on this simple score, as strokes due to blood clots can grow without intervention.”

UC study: Severe ischemic strokes rare in total patient population The University of Cincinnati’s Yasmin Aziz will present research at the European Stroke Organisation Conference that found severe ischemic strokes with the most severe damage are rare in the total stroke patient population.

$13.5 million gift supports ALS research and patient care

A $13.5 million gift from the estate of Hugh H. Hoffman, will revolutionize research and patient care related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute. Hoffman was passionate about supporting ALS because his father, Herbert H. Hoffman, died from the disease.

This donation is “meteoric” and “climate-changing” for ALS patients and families in Greater Cincinnati and beyond, says Robert Neel, MD (pictured), Class of 2000, professor in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, a specialist in ALS and autoimmune neuromuscular disorders and director of the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic. “Of all the neurological diseases that we know of today, ALS is likely the cruelest and the area in which we have witnessed the least progress in a century of science. Balancing the daily medical care of patients who are slowly being robbed of their motor function while looking for answers to stop the disease is an urgent priority.”

In addition to supporting an endowed clinical support services fund and programmatic needs, the gift creates two endowed chair positions at the College of Medicine. A clinical neurologist chair, specializing in ALS, will focus on patient care and clinical needs. Neel will be the first Hugh H. Hoffman Endowed Clinical Chair for ALS/Motor Neuron Disease, pending UC Board of Trustees approval. A research chair will concentrate on conducting research to gain a deeper understanding of the disease and its causes and identify new potential treatments that will improve patients’ quality of life. A national expert will hold the Hugh H. Hoffman Endowed Research Chair for ALS/Motor Neuron Disease.

Local media cover $13.5 million gift benefiting ALS research and patient care A historic $13.5 million gift from the estate of Hugh H. Hoffman will revolutionize amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

Thrombectomy less beneficial in large-core stroke

UC's Joseph Broderick commented to Medscape on a recent trial that found patients with the largest volume of stroke tissue injury benefit less from thrombectomy, a procedure that uses a catheter to remove a blood clot from a blood vessel in the brain...

Thrombectomy less beneficial in large-core stroke The University of Cincinnati's Joseph Broderick commented to Medscape on a recent trial that found patients with the largest volume of stroke tissue injury benefit less from thrombectomy, a procedure that uses a catheter to remove a blood clot from a blood vessel in the brain, which restores blood f...

More trial evidence supports drug tenecteplase for acute stroke treatment

TCT MD included comments from the University of Cincinnati's Eva Mistry in a story recapping trial data presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference that found clot-busting drug tenectaplase is becoming a first-choice treatment in certain situations...https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/05/more-trial-evidence-supports-drug-tenecteplase-for-acute-stroke-treatment.html?utm_source=cerkl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-06052024&cerkl_id=19289043&cerkl_ue=UBBOC7s1csTpVXBwv%2BSQY%2Boa3VwQ5ylFNuulAih1l5Q%3D

Does CBD really work?

The University of Cincinnati's LaTrice Montgomery and Michael Privitera joined WVXU's Cincinnati Edition to discuss how claims about CBD measure up to scientific research - https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/05/does-cbd-really-work.html?utm_source=cerkl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-05222024&cerkl_id=19284813&cerkl_ue=UBBOC7s1csTpVXBwv%2BSQY%2Boa3VwQ5ylFNuulAih1l5Q%3D

UC study: Severe ischemic strokes rare in total patient population

The University of Cincinnati’s Yasmin Aziz presented research at the European Stroke Organization Conference that found severe ischemic strokes with the most severe damage are rare in the total stroke patient population.

UC study: Severe ischemic strokes rare in total patient population The University of Cincinnati’s Yasmin Aziz will present research at the European Stroke Organisation Conference that found severe ischemic strokes with the most severe damage are rare in the total stroke patient population.

Congratulations to Dr. Dave Ficker who has received the 2024 Research Service awards for The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine!

David Ficker, MD, professor, Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, is one of two recipients of the 2024 Research Service Award. The award from the College of Medicine Office of Research honors faculty for service to the college’s research mission.

Dr. Ficker is a neurologist with the Epilepsy Center at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute. He has served on the UC Institutional Review Board (IRB) as a member from 2005 to 2007, as vice chair from 2009 until 2023 and now serves as one of the two IRB chairs.

A $13.5 million gift from the estate of Hugh H. Hoffman will revolutionize research and patient care related to ALS at the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

This donation is “meteoric” and “climate-changing” for ALS patients and families in Greater Cincinnati and beyond, says Robert Neel, MD, a specialist in ALS and autoimmune neuromuscular disorders and director of the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic.

“Of all the neurological diseases that we know of today, ALS is likely the cruelest and the area in which we have witnessed the least progress in a century of science,” he said. “Balancing the daily medical care of patients who are slowly being robbed of their motor function while looking for answers to stop the disease is an urgent priority.”

The donation is the second largest in the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute’s history.

Hoffman's father died from the disease. His nephews are co-executors of his estate and were instrumental in making the gift a reality.

“We wanted to honor our uncle’s legacy and his intentional long-time support of families impacted by ALS and the Greater Cincinnati community,” they said. “We’re confident that UC and UC Health have the talent, leadership and vision to transform the future of research and care of ALS."

UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute Receives Transformational ALS Gift Hear from Dr. Robert Neel, Director of the UC Health ALS Clinic, about what the “meteoric” $13.5 million gift from the estate of Hugh H. Hoffman, MBA ’63, me...

Tonight, Dr. Brett Kissela, Executive Vice Dean of the College of Medicine and the chair of the department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, was honored with the Daniel Drake Medal of Honor!

Proud to serve with you and proud of your accomplishments.
Thank you for your tireless work for our Department and the College of Medicine, Brett.

Special guest appearances by Dr. Joseph Broderick, Dr. Daniel Woo, and a special welcome home to University of Michigan Department of Neurology Chair, Dr. Dawn Kleindorfer!!

https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/04/college-of-medicine-awards-2024-drake-medals.html?darkschemeovr=1

UC student-led nonprofit organization Parkinson's Together takes a multidisciplinary approach to meeting the needs of patients with Parkinson's disease in their community. Now their impact is setting a model for student organizations across the country...

The next generation of care University of Cincinnati student-led nonprofit organization Parkinson's Together takes a multidisciplinary approach to meeting the needs of patients with Parkinson's disease in their community. Now it's setting a model for student organizations across the country.

UC Neurology researchers presented abstracts at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting 2024, April 13-18 in Denver, Colorado. Click on the link below for highlighted research...

UC experts present at national neurology conference University of Cincinnati researchers will present abstracts at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting 2024, April 13-18 in Denver, Colorado.

Joseph Broderick, MD, Class of 1982, professor, Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, will present the 2024 Cecil Striker Lecture “Cincinnati Neurology: From Astute Human Observations to Life-changing Therapies” on Tuesday, May 7. The free lecture begins at 5 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium and also will be streamed online.

Among the topics Broderick will discuss will include Charles Aring, MD, Class of 1929 and the founding chair of the department, how much of the initial work leading to the first treatment for stroke with tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) was done in Cincinnati and how the first use of the drug in a stroke patient was here, and how modern neurology and the Beatles are related. “We also were among the first to use cell phones in medicine in the late 1980s. We may not have had tPA for stroke if we didn’t have cell phones,” Broderick notes.

A founding member of the UC Stroke Team and a 2010 Daniel Drake Medalist, Broderick served as chair of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine from 2000 until 2013. Since 2014, he has been the director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute. An internationally known stroke expert, Broderick was integrally involved in the studies that led to the approval of tPA and thrombectomy for treating stroke in addition to numerous other landmark studies.

https://bit.ly/49BSMt0

UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute Marks Five-Year Anniversary When UC Health and the University of Cincinnati opened the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute outpatient building five years ago, the intent was to transform how neurological care is delivered and how neuroscience clinicians and researchers collaborate.

https://www.facebook.com/share/fyFRKBxmdMQ8n5Jr/?mibextid=WC7FNe

The highest level of epilepsy care is right here.

The Epilepsy Center at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute has once again been designated a Level IV Epilepsy Center by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers.

As the only adult Level IV center in the region, we have the expertise and facilities to provide the highest-level medical and surgical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.

Learn More: https://bit.ly/3TTD9am

Congrats to Dr. Robert Neel for winning the American Academy of Neurology Program Director Recognition Award at the annual meeting! So well deserved and so overdue! 🙌🏼

Thank you to our Movement Disorders team!!

April is Parkinson's disease Awareness Month.

📷: Dr. Alberto Espay of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders.

2024 Striker Lecture details history of neurology at UC

The 77-year history of the college’s Department of Neurology will be discussed Tuesday, May 7 when Joseph Broderick, MD, Class of 1982, professor, Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, presents the 2024 Cecil Striker Lecture “Cincinnati Neurology: From Astute Human Observations to Life-changing Therapies.” The lecture begins at 5 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium and also will be streamed online.

Among the topics Broderick will discuss will include Charles Aring, MD, Class of 1929 and the founding chair of the department, how much of the initial work leading to the first treatment for stroke with tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) was done in Cincinnati and how the first use of the drug in a stroke patient was here, and how modern neurology and the Beatles are related. “We also were among the first to use cell phones in medicine in the late 1980s. We may not have had tPA for stroke if we didn’t have cell phones,” Broderick notes.

A founding member of the UC Stroke Team and a 2010 Daniel Drake Medalist, Broderick served as chair of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine from 2000 until 2013. Since 2014, he has been the director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute. An internationally known stroke expert, Broderick was integrally involved in the studies that led to the approval of tPA and thrombectomy for treating stroke in addition to numerous other landmark studies.

https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/03/history-of-neurology-topic-of-2024-striker-lecture.html

Medscape: How primary care doctors can contribute to epilepsy care

Medscape highlighted Project ECHO, a program piloted at the University of Cincinnati that trains primary care providers to manage epilepsy - https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/02/medscape--how-primary-care-doctors-can-contribute-to-epilepsy-care.html?utm_source=cerkl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter-02212024&cerkl_id=18768054&cerkl_ue=UBBOC7s1csTpVXBwv%2BSQY%2Boa3VwQ5ylFNuulAih1l5Q%3D

Infusion pump safe, effective for Parkinson’s treatment

An international, multisite phase 3 trial co-led by Alberto Espay, MD, found Parkinson’s disease medication delivered through an infusion pump is safe and effective at reducing symptoms for longer periods of time. These results, published March 15 in the Lancet Neurology journal, could lead to additional treatment options for patients with the condition.

Parkinson’s symptoms such as tremors, slowness and stiffness are caused by low levels of dopamine in the body. For decades, doctors have treated Parkinson’s by giving patients levodopa, the inactive substance in the brain that once converted makes dopamine.

The researchers found levodopa delivered through the infusion pump was safe and led to almost two hours a day (1.72) of additional “on time,” or the time when the medication is working and symptoms are lessened, compared to taking levodopa orally. Espay, James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson’s Disease Research Endowed Chair in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, says the results of this trial pave the way for this specific infusion pump delivery system to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration and other countries’ respective governing bodies.

UC study: Subcutaneous infusion pump safe, effective for Parkinson’s treatment An international, multisite phase 3 trial co-led by a University of Cincinnati researcher found Parkinson’s disease medication delivered through an infusion pump is safe and effective at reducing symptoms for longer periods of time.

Using data to improve care for traumatic brain injuries

Tracking heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels is a standard practice to give doctors valuable information on patients’ heart and lung health over time and guide treatment decisions. Brandon Foreman, MD, says there is a need for similar tracking of data on patients’ brain health for those with severe brain injuries. College of Medicine faculty have pioneered a comprehensive platform for this practice known as multimodal neuromonitoring (MNM), despite a lack of standard practice among others in the field.

Foreman, along with an international panel of colleagues and experts in MNM, recently published survey results in the journal Critical Care Medicine identifying areas of consensus and needs for further research to develop a standard practice for comprehensively monitoring brain health in the intensive care unit. Foreman says measurements like blood flow, pressure, oxygen and glucose levels in the brain give actionable information when treating patients with severe brain trauma.

“We can give people oxygen, we can give people glucose, we can reduce pressure inside the skull. Multimodal brain monitoring is all about getting those measurements that give us the same comprehensive view of the brain that we normally get from the vital signs that help monitor the heart and lungs,” says Foreman, associate professor and associate director of neurocritical care research in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine. “We decided if we’re going to put something in your head, we probably should do it in the most comprehensive way possible because this is not a benign thing to do. There’s no one else that monitors the brain to the degree that we do. There’s nowhere else that does this.”

Using data to improve care for traumatic brain injuries The University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute's Brandon Foreman recently published survey results identifying areas of consensus and needs for further research to develop a standard practice for comprehensively monitoring brain health in the intensive care unit.

Congratulations Chipping Away at Parkinson's! Over $60,000 raised for Parkinson's research

When Paul Lake learned that at least four neighbors in the small East Cincinnati community of Brandonmore were dealing with Parkinson's disease, it was four too many. Wanting to help, Lake partnered with a group of neighbors to create a unique fundraiser now in its ninth year— Chipping Away at Parkinson's, which features and improvised 2.5-acre wiffle ball golf course, raffle prizes, a cook-out dinner and live music.

Friends, neighbors and supporters throughout the region came together this fall to help Chipping Away have their best fundraising year yet. The 2023 event raised over $60,000 in support of Parkinson's disease research efforts underway at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

"Community-based fundraising and awareness efforts like the Chipping Away at Parkinson’s event provide vital boosts to our research, and we are so grateful to Paul and the Brandonmore neighbors for the support they’ve shown us over close to a decade now," says Alberto Espay, MD, director and endowed chair of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center, pictured above with Chipping Away organizers.

For more information about how to get involved with the 2024 Chipping Away at Parkinson’s, follow them on Facebook or email [email protected].

Interested in hosting a fundraiser in support of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute? Click the link below to contact our team for more information on how we can support your fundraising efforts.

UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute to Lead New National Stroke Study

The UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute has received $19 million in federal funding from the NIH to serve as the lead center for a Phase 2 clinical trial that will study the efficacy of a new monoclonal antibody treatment for those patients, possibly providing new hope for treatment and recovery for patients where time and access may have been limited.

“This new drug offers a lot of hope,” said study co-investigator Pooja Khatri, MD, MSc, associate director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute. “The preliminary data suggest it will work better and faster to open clots that cause strokes in our patients, while protecting the brain from irreversible damage. We are excited by the possibility of bringing the next tPA/TNK to the stroke field, carrying on the tradition of when Cincinnati led the way in developing emergency treatment for stroke in the late 1980s and early 1990s.”

UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute to Lead New National Stroke Study Ischemic stroke is the most common form of stroke in the U.S., affecting more than 690,000 people each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

UC stroke experts present at international conference

University of Cincinnati neurology experts presented UC research at the International Stroke Conference 2024, Feb. 7-9 in Phoenix, Arizona.

UC stroke experts present at international conference University of Cincinnati neurology experts are presenting research at the International Stroke Conference 2024, Feb. 7-9 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Congrats to Dr. Brett Kissela for receiving one of three 2024 Daniel Drake Medals!

Dr. Kissela is chair of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, Albert Barnes Voorheis Professor of Neurology, executive vice dean and senior associate dean for clinical research at the College of Medicine. Kissela is a national leader in stroke epidemiology, diabetes impact on stroke and stroke recovery. For nearly 20 years, he has been the Principal Investigator of a population-based study in Greater Cincinnati that has established much of the epidemiology of stroke in the U.S., including the estimated number of strokes in the country, the risk factors for stroke, the recent change in incidence by age, gender and race, and the evolution of how stroke is treated and managed.

We are thrilled to introduce the University of Cincinnati Neurology Residency Class of 2028!! Congrats to all!

We are thrilled to introduce the University of Cincinnati Neurology Residency Class of 2027!! Congrats to all!