Think Neuro

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that damages the nerves. It affects about a million people in the U.S., primarily women. Join us for “Multiple Sclerosis Explained” where podcast host Kym Douglas talks with Pacific Neuroscience Institute physician Dr. Barbara Giesser about MS symptoms, the importance of early diagnosis, and the medication, symptom management, and lifestyle options now a...

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...

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'...

Strabismus, commonly referred to as “crossed eyes” or “lazy eye,” is a visual condition characterized by an improper alignment of the eyes. In individuals with strabismus, the eyes do not work together as a coordinated pair, causing one eye to be misaligned relative to the other. This misalignment can be constant or intermittent and can affect one eye or both eyes. Alexander M. Solomon, MD, is a n...

In the complex landscape of mental health, a revolution is underway: psychedelic-assisted therapy. At the forefront of this movement is the TRIP Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. The Treatment & Research In Psychedelics Center is breaking new ground, treating patients with ketamine-assisted therapy as well as conducting rigorous clinical trials to understand the potential of psychedelics i...

Dr. Jian Guan is a fellowship trained neurosurgeon with a special focus on complex spine surgery at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. Dedicated to the care of patients with spine and neck conditions, he practices at PNI-South Bay / Spine Institute at Little Company of Mary in Torrance, California. With over 75 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Guan has a particular clinical and research interest in wa...

Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder in humans, and its causes are among the most mysterious. It’s a neurological condition that causes involuntary shaking. It can begin in one’s 20s or 30s, or much later in life. Dr. Natalie Diaz treats essential tremors. Its origins may be unknown, but there are treatments. The first step is to talk to your doctor to rule out other forms of trem...

Sometimes the best surgery is no surgery. That's what Howard R. Krauss, MD believes. Dr. Krauss is one of the four founders of Pacific Neuroscience Institute, and Director of the Pacific Eye, Ear and Skull Base Center. He is a surgical neuro-ophthalmologist specializing in diagnostic neuro-ophthalmology, including visual field analysis and optical coherence tomography, as well as strabismus, orbit...

Moyamoya disease is a rare neurovascular condition that can affect both children and adults and is caused by progressive narrowing or blockage of the major blood vessels supplying the brain. The result is a lack of necessary blood flow to the brain, which can cause stroke, mini-stroke (TIA – transient ischemic attack) or bleeding into the brain. Numerous tiny vessels develop around the blockage in...

For people with hearing loss, properly-fitted hearing aids can be a miracle, restoring sounds of life that have been lost to aging or disease. But sometimes hearing aids aren’t enough, or a patient’s hearing deteriorates beyond the devices’ capabilities. Then, it’s time to consider cochlear implants—small electronic devices that go beyond hearing aids. They bypass damaged hair cells in the ear and...

Our multidisciplinary team is here to help you and your loved ones understand your condition and determine an optimal treatment plan. Because of our expertise, we treat many patients with the most challenging of pituitary and skull base tumors, including many with prior treatments (recurrent or residual tumors) and patients who have been deemed “non-operative."

Chordomas are rare tumors of the brain and spine that have limited surgical and neuro-oncological treatments. Learn about potential new treatment from a clinical trial published in 2023.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) represents an exciting non-medication and noninvasive option for treatment of some brain health conditions, specifically TMS for depression. TMS works by using magnetic therapy in the form of magnetic field pulses to stimulate the brain’s nerve cells to alleviate the symptoms associated with depression. In addition, there is growing research exploring the ef...

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s another scourge raging in the U.S: loneliness. About 17% of Americans reported feeling lonely “a lot of the day yesterday,” when polled by Gallup earlier this year, and a staggering 41% of single people said they did. Doctors at PNI discover loneliness in their patients, often for specific causes that can be treated. Dr. Courtney Voelker, director of P...

Jason W. Tarpley, MD, PhD is a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in vascular and interventional neurology. He specializes in the clinical care of patients with neurovascular disorders and has specific interest in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, cerebral aneurysms, and carotid artery stenosis. He is an investigator in many phase 2 and phase 3 clinical studies examining the safet...

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...

A brain aneurysm is also called a cerebral aneurysm or an intracranial aneurysm and refers to the same diagnosis. Muscular-walled tubes blood vessels called arteries are part of our circulation system. These tubes are how blood is conveyed from the heart to the brain, carrying oxygen and nutrients to support the brain and its functions. A diagnosis of a brain aneurysm means that a bulging, weak ar...

Thyroid eye disease, also known as Graves’ ophthalmopathy or Graves’ orbitopathy, is an autoimmune condition that primarily affects the tissues and muscles around the eyes. It is most commonly associated with an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism), particularly in individuals with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid. Alexander M. Solomon, MD, is a neuro-ophthalm...

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...

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 caregivers. Dr. Akanksha Sharma is a neuro-oncologist and palliative medicine specialist at the Pacific Brain Tumor Center...

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...

Neuro-oncologist and palliative care specialist, Dr. Akansksha Sharma, talks about radiation treatment for brain tumors. Radiation oncology includes techniques such as external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and brachytherapy. External beam radiation therapy involves the use of a machine, such as a linear accelerator, to deliver radiation beams from outside the body to the tumor site. The treatment...

When he’s not being a world-class neurosurgeon caring for patients with brain or pituitary tumors, Dr. Garni Barkhoudarian trains younger surgeons on the science and art of neurosurgery. As director of the Neuroanatomical Skills / Microdissection Anatomy Lab, he advances the procedures and technology used for minimally invasive surgery. Neurosurgeons can enter PNI’s fellowship program, and researc...

Dr. Amit Kochhar talks about symptoms, and diagnosis of paralysis due to facial nerve syndromes. Facial paralysis is devastating to one’s identity. Patients with facial paralysis experience physical, social, and emotional changes. At PNI, our specialists treat all types of facial paralysis and related conditions. Every face is unique and our team takes a compassionate, patient-centric approach to...

Barbara S. Giesser, MD, FAAN, FANA, is an internationally recognized clinician and award-winning educator who has specialized in the care of persons with Multiple Sclerosis since 1982. Her approach to the diagnosis and management of persons with MS combines advanced diagnostics and a personalized medication plan for each patient with an emphasis on integrating lifestyle and wellness strategies int...