Think Neuro

Intracranial meningiomas are the most common benign brain tumor that develop or arise from any meningeal surface of the brain, and are typically attached to the dura (outer layer of the meninges) but can also occur in the cerebral ventricles. Listen to Dr. Daniel Kelly, MD, PNI founder & director, and neurosurgeon, talk about intracranial meningioma symptoms, treatment and minimally invasive keyho...

Dr. Sarah McEwen has wanted to be a brain scientist since she was a kid. At an early age, she realized that exercise made her feel good. Later, she learned why: Physical activity can change the brain because of something called neuroplasticity. The brain isn’t static. It changes and adapts. And that’s one of the most amazing things about an already amazing organ. Strangely enough, doing a Zumba cl...

Dr. Porter is the Director of Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Neurocognitive Disorders at the Pacific Brain Health Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute (PNI) located at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. In addition, she is a Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics at John Wayne Cancer Institute. https://www.pacific...

Dr. Jeremy E. Levenson received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology (with Highest Honors) from UCLA. Dr. Levenson graduated AOA Medical Honorary Society from the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. This was followed by postgraduate medical training at the Veterans Administration Hospital (UCLA affiliated hospital), United States Public Health Service in Boston (Commissione...

Dr. Stella Panos, PhD, is a neuropsychologist who focuses on adult and geriatric neuropsychological assessment. As the Director of Neuropsychology at Pacific Brain Health Center, she works with patients who present with an array of medical/neurological illnesses (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Parkinson’s disease, HIV, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, etc.) in various med...

Imagine a twitch that won’t go away. Worse yet, imagine that twitch is in your face. That’s what sufferers of hemifacial spasms experience, day in and day out. The spasms originate deep in the brain, where it connects with the spinal cord. In this crowded channel, the nerves that control facial muscles ride close by blood vessels. As those vessels age, they can sag and come into contact with one o...

Dr. Chipp Miller is a board-certified otolaryngologist with over 30 years of experience treating patients with the utmost quality of care. Affiliated with Providence Saint John’s Health Center and highly esteemed in his field, Dr. Miller's care thrives on patient understanding and participation. He takes pride in spending the time to discuss diagnosis and treatment options with each individual pat...

The pituitary gland is called the “master gland” because it regulates all the hormones of the body. It doesn’t take much to disturb its function. A tiny tumor on the pituitary gland can cause the release of excess cortisol into the blood, which in turn causes Cushing’s disease, a far-reaching, often misdiagnosed disorder, that causes weight gain, high blood pressure, bone thinning, and even diabet...

Dr. Chester Griffiths, MD, FACS, is board certified in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has an extensive 25 years of experience in endoscopic endonasal sinus surgery for skull base tumors and pituitary tumors, sinonasal cancers including mucosal melanomas, and in the treatment of facial and nasal trauma, cosmetic deformities, sinus infections...

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...

Treating cancer involves more than treating the body. The disease takes a toll on the mind, too, no matter what organ system it affects. Cancer and treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy come with mental costs as well. Depression, anxiety, cognitive symptoms, and insomnia are common after cancer treatment. There is also a syndrome that patients call “chemo brain” and doctors ca...

Dr. Melita Petrossian is a fellowship-trained neurologist and movement disorders specialist and is the Director of the Pacific Movement Disorders Center located at Providence Saint John’s Health Center and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance. Dr. Petrossian’s clinical interests and expertise are in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, tremors including essential tr...

Naveed Wagle, MD, has specialized training and research experience in the treatment of cancer of the central and peripheral nervous system. Dr. Wagle treats patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors as well as neurologic complications of cancer at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. As an expert resource to Pacific Neuroscience Institute and the community, Dr. Wagle brings a wealth of k...

Dr. Amit Kochhar talks about the treatment of Facial Paralysis. 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 designing a unique treatment for...

Unfortunately, a brain cancer called glioblastoma has a very poor prognosis but there is still a lot that can be done. Unlike other cancers that often develop as lumps with defined margins in the breast, say, glioblastomas not only present with a central mass but also send out microscopic tendrils into the brain, making them difficult to remove completely without damaging our most critical organ....

Dr. Barbara Giesser is the Multiple Sclerosis Neurologist at the Pacific Brain Health Center. Dr. Giesser’s approach to the diagnosis and management of persons with MS combines state-of-the-art diagnostics and a personalized medication plan for each patient with an emphasis on integrating lifestyle and wellness strategies into the neurologic treatment plan. For more information: https://www.pacifi...

Dr. Barkhoudarian is the Co-Director Pituitary Disorders Center, Neurosurgery; Director, Adult Hydrocephalus Center; Director, Facial Pain Center; Chief, Radiosurgery Program; Director, Saint Johns Cancer Institute / PNI Microdissection Anatomy Laboratory. He is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with a focus on skull base and minimally invasive endoscopic surgery. Dr. Barkhoudaria...

Dr. Garni Barkhoudarian, Neurosurgeon at Pacific Neuroscience Institute and Assistant Professor of Neuroscience & Neurosurgery at the John Wayne Cancer Institute, discusses his perspectives of the future of brain tumor surgery in this brief video. For more information: pacificneuro.org | (310) 582-7640

One in ten Americans who are 65 and older suffer from Alzheimer’s dementia. It’s the 6th leading cause of death in the country, and it is a scourge worldwide. But little is known about what causes Alzheimer’s, and cures have been elusive. Dr. Verna Porter specializes in treating people with Alzheimer’s, and she remains optimistic. Until we have a remedy, she advises people to eat well and get plen...

Dr. Natalie Diaz is a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in movement disorders. Her clinical practice focuses on the evaluation and management of patients with Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonian disorders, Huntington’s disease, and other choreiform disorders, dystonia, and ataxia. She also has specialized training in the evaluation and programming of deep brain stimulatio...

Dr. Abbas Anwar, a native of Southern California, is a board-certified otolaryngologist – head and neck surgeon, at the Pacific Eye, Ear & Skull Base Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. He specializes in all aspects of general and pediatric ENT and has special interests in sinonasal diseases and infections, head and neck surgery, otologic disorders, and throat complaints. He is well trained...

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...

Dr. George Teitelbaum is the director of the Pacific Stroke & Neurovascular Center. He has decades of experience treating aneurysms and cerebrovascular disease using neurointerventional procedures. For more information: https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/about-us/our-team/ | (310) 582-7640

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...

Jean-Philippe Langevin, MD, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with a special interest in the surgical treatment of complex spine conditions and movement disorders. Selected as a multiple year recipient of the SuperDoctor Rising Stars Edition, he has extensive experience using advanced surgical techniques to treat his patients with compassion and care. He practices at PNI-Sou...