Think Neuro

Dr. Martin’s neurosurgical practice at PNI focuses on patients with facial pain syndromes such as trigeminal neuralgia, skull base tumors, aneurysms, and arteriovenous malformations. At PNI Foundation, he serves as Director of Innovation and Quality and focuses his efforts on programmatic development, particularly in the Pacific Facial Pain, Brain Tumor, Brain Health, and Stroke & Neurovascular Ce...

Howard R. Krauss, MD, is a co-founder of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute. He is an ophthalmologist and a surgical neuro-ophthalmologist at the Pacific Eye, Ear, and Skull Base Center at PNI. He fiercely pursues the best treatments and outcomes for his patients. Dr. Krauss and his PNI colleagues have been innovators; developing, practicing, and teaching dramatic new surgeries, including eye- and...

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...

“I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.” That line is the source of countless jokes on late night television, but in real life, it’s anything but funny. One in three people over 65 fall each year. Those falls often lead to broken hips, and a quarter of elderly people who suffer a hip fracture die within a year, says Dr. William Buxton, a neurologist at PNI who specializes in preventing falls in people w...

Dr. Omid B. Mehdizadeh, MD, is an Otolaryngology, and Head & Neck (ENT) surgeon. Working with colleagues in the Pacific Eye, Ear & Skull Base Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute, his particular expertise is in voice, swallowing and throat conditions (laryngology). Visit Dr. Mehdizadeh's profile https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/omid-mehdizadeh/ pacificneuro.org 310-582-7450

Dr. Jason Tarpley, MD, Ph. D. is the Director of the Stroke Center at Providence Saint John's Health Center and directs the Pacific Stroke and Neurovascular Center. His focus is treating patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and intracranial vascular lesions such as aneurysms or arteriovenous malformations. He is also trained in neuroendovascular therapy to treat these patients. You can re...

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is one of a few reversible causes of dementia. Dr. Garni Barkhoudarian, director of the Pacific Adult Hydrocephalus Center, briefly describes the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of this condition. pacifichydrocephalus.org 310-582-7450

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that arises when white blood cells make their way into the central nervous system and attack the fatty covering that protects neurons, which disrupts their ability to effectively conduct electrical and chemical signals. Many people with MS report that their symptoms get temporarily worse in the heat. This is because neurons, especially damaged ones, cond...

Dr. Walavan Sivakumar is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with a focus on skull base and minimally invasive and endoscopic neurosurgery. Selected as a multiple year recipient of the SuperDoctor Rising Stars Edition, Dr. Sivakumar has a particular interest and expertise in brain tumors, skull base tumors, pituitary/parasellar tumors, and intraventricular brain tumors, and he applies the keyhole co...

Dr. Scott Kaiser, a board-certified family physician, and geriatrician is the Director of Geriatric Cognitive Health and provides specialty geriatric medical consultations at the Pacific Brain Health Center. Focused on the needs of older patients, he works with his colleagues to provide an integrated and holistic approach to their cognitive challenges. With this “whole person” approach, Dr. Kaiser...

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...