Think Neuro

After a childhood disease that affected her hearing, Ayslyn has undergone multiple preventative surgeries for hearing loss each year of her life. At 27 years old, she was treated by Dr. Courtney Voelker and Dr. Rebecca Lewis at Pacific Neuroscience Institute to get a new hearing device. Through a Bone Bridge Surgery she is now able to hear through this innovative technology.

Did you know that some swallowing problems can be caused by a medical condition? Dr. Omid Mehdizadeh treats both voice and swallowing dysfunction. Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) can become a chronic issue that affects anyone, but is often experienced by older adults. A voice and swallow expert, Dr. Mehdizadeh’s background in Otolaryngology and Gastroenterology is a perfect blend of knowledge an...

A PNI Minute: Exercise is very important for brain health. A multimodal approach including aerobic exercise, resistance (strength) training, and neuro-motor (skill or motor) training is ideal. To help stave off cognitive decline, Ryan and his team work with clients in the FitBrain gym using dual tasking and clinical exergaming also called serious gaming that engages both body and brain simultaneou...

In this podcast, Dr. Kelly talks about how he was drawn to neurosurgery, his fascination with the pituitary gland, the nuances of minimally invasive pituitary and brain tumor surgery, as well as a brief history of PNI, its focus on innovation and clinical trials and its 8 centers of excellence. For more information: pacificneuro.org | pacificbraintumor.org | (310) 829-8265

As one of the most comprehensive pituitary disorder programs in the United States, the Pacific Pituitary Disorders Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute (PNI) offers world-class expert care. Among the top ranked neurology and neurosurgery programs in the nation, our center’s compassionate multidisciplinary specialists provide advanced, personalized treatment while focusing on our patients’ qual...

Precision Brain Health at Pacific Neuroscience Institute is a program that utilizes a formalized system to comprehensively address neurodegenerative disease. It addresses at both clinical and lifestyle components impacting brain heath. Dr. David Merrill, director of the brain health center at PNI details the ReCODE Protocol (pioneered by Dr. Dale Bredesen) which has emerged as a viable attempt to...

This week on the Think Neuro podcast, we welcome Dr. Tessa Hadlock, a leading facial nerve surgeon, educator, and innovator. A Professor of Otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Hadlock shares her inspiring journey into facial nerve surgery and her commitment to helping patients regain facial control. Joining her is Dr. Amit Kochhar, Director of the Facial Nerve Disorders Program at Pacifi...

Do you suffer from nose bleeds? Dr. Wong helps patients who have recurrent nose bleeds whether they are a few spots on a tissue to ones that may last for 20-30 minutes on most days. Learn about the causes of nose bleeds and effective methods for dealing with them. Michael Yong, MD, MPH, MBA, is board certified in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, and fellowship-trained in Neurorhinology – Adva...

We ask a lot of our spines. They keep us upright, they bend into myriad positions, and they protect our spinal cord, a huge job by itself. And they go the distance, doing all of those things, if we’re lucky, well into our 90s. But the longer we live, the more we wear out our spines. That’s where Dr. Jian Guan comes in. He handles complicated spinal issues that don’t get better with rest, exercise...

Having a healthy voice is important for everyone, whether you are a professional singer, teacher, salesperson or simply like to read aloud to your grandchildren. Similarly, our ability to swallow is an essential part of everyday life and when comprised can feel frustrating and even embarrassing in public settings. If you suffer from hoarseness or trouble with your voice or throat, our team of expe...

Fellowship trained, Noa Tal, MD, is a devoted endocrinologist committed to delivering exceptional care and striving for excellence in her field. With a diverse background encompassing medicine, research, teaching, and wellness, she endeavors to make significant contributions to healthcare. At the Pituitary Disorders Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute®, Dr. Tal cares for patients with endocri...

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the brain’s function and causes a gradual decline in cognitive function, including memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for approximately 70% of all cases of dementia. The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not fully understood, but it is believed to be a combination of genetic...

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL), or sudden deafness, is a rapid loss of hearing. SSHL can happen to a person all at once or over a period of up to 3 days. It should be considered a medical emergency. Hearing loss affects only one ear in 9 out of 10 people who experience SSHL. Many people notice it when they wake up in the morning. Others first notice it when they try to use the deafened e...

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea, characterized by repeated episodes of partial or complete blockage of the airway during sleep. These blockages occur when the muscles at the back of the throat relax excessively, causing the airway to narrow or close, and momentari...

Sandra Narayanan, MD, Vascular Neurologist and Neurointerventional Surgeon at the Pacific Stroke and Neurovascular Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute, explains the difference between hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. The main difference between the two types of stroke is the underlying cause of the brain damage. In ischemic stroke, the damage is caused by a lack of blood supply, while in hemo...

For decades, people thought physical exercise benefited only the body. But every year we learn how incorrect that was, and Dr. David Merrill, director of PNI’s brain health center, is one of the people pushing our knowledge forward. It turns out that exercise builds the brain by prompting the production of brain derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. “Trophic” compounds cause things to grow, and BD...

There are no specific diets that have been shown to reduce the progression of PD. However, there is good reason to believe that a well-balanced, nutritious diet would be best. In those without other medical conditions, the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurogenerative Delay (MIND) diet may be of benefit in Parkinson’s as well since both are neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's dise...

In movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia, normal function can be restored to the circuitry of the brain, resulting in significant improvement in function and quality of life. The goal of deep brain stimulation surgery is to modulate the activity of a specific brain region. In DBS, thin electrodes are placed in the disruptive areas of the brain and small ele...

You're probably hearing a lot more about the "human microbiome" these days. It's the collection of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that lives alongside us, inside and out. Some of these organisms are beneficial, and some are harmful. There is growing evidence that bad actors in our digestive tract may produce toxins that travel along the vagus nerve to the brain, where they clump and cause Parkinson'...

Dr. Akanksha Sharma is a neuro-oncologist and palliative medicine specialist at the Pacific Brain Tumor Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA. To provide extra resources to brain cancer patients suffering from brain tumors such as glioblastoma and their care partners. Dr. Akanksha Sharma is a neuro-oncologist and palliative medicine specialist at the Pacific Brain Tumor Cent...

Listen in as Dr. Santosh Kesari joins the Your Healthy Dose podcast with Kym Douglas. We’re at the dawn of a new era in medical care, where the ability to predict, detect, and treat disease will be based on each individual’s genetics and the interaction of the genome with many lifestyle, environmental, and other factors. Join us for “Personalized Medicine” and hear podcast host Kym Douglas explore...

Stress can significantly impact the brain and body. Cortisol production in the brain increases. It is a stress hormone regulated by the hypothalamus which is responsible for our fight or flight response. This is your brain's response to danger. Chronic stress can lead to structural changes in the hippocampus, which is also our memory center. So those that experience chronic stress are more likely...

Bell’s palsy is a paralysis or weakness of the muscles on one side of the face. The facial nerves control muscle activity so when damaged it can cause the face to droop. Fortunately, for the majority of patients, normal to near-normal facial nerve function can be restored within 1-2 months with medications alone, especially in those who can still partly move their facial muscles. Bell’s palsy-rela...

Michelle Holmes, OD, is a full-scope optometrist at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute®. She sees patients at both the Eye, Ear and Skull Base Center as well as at the Brain Health Center. She is board certified and TLG licensed to treat and manage ocular disease. She prides herself in practicing evidence-based medicine with a genuine enthusiasm for human connection.

Strange though it may seem, our vocal cords are among our most vital organs. Not only do they allow us to communicate, but they make it possible to swallow without letting food or fluids into our lungs, a dangerous phenomenon that can cause pneumonia. It’s a complex action, requiring the work of 48 different muscles. Dr. Omid Mehdizadeh is an otolaryngologist—a surgeon who specializes in the head...