Think Neuro

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...

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...

Dr. David Merrill is a psychiatrist who specializes in older adults. He has a PhD in the neurobiology of aging, and he directs PNI’s Brain Health Center. His colleague Dr. Karen Miller, has a PhD in geropsychology–the psychology of older people. She is the senior director of PNI’s Brain Wellness and Lifestyle Program. Molly Rapozo is a registered dietician nutritionist. They work as a trio to help...

Dystonia is a mysterious condition that causes muscles to contract involuntarily. It can strike many parts of the body, making the head turn, the eyelids close, or the hand twist. We don’t know what causes dystonia. It can arise after head trauma or a stroke, and it often appears in conjunction with Parkinson’s disease. There is no cure, but experts like Dr. Natalie Diaz, a neurologist at PNI, can...

In a study published on August 31, 2023, in the Journal of the American Medical Association, psilocybin showed promise as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). JAMA Associate Editor Dr. Donald C. Goff, speaks with publication author Dr. Charles L. Raison, from the Usona Institute, about the study, as well as Dr. Rachel Yehuda from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, who wrote an accompanyin...

At PNI’s Treatment & Research In Psychedelics (TRIP) Program, we conduct clinical trails at the forefront of innovative and transformative medicine. TRIP, spearheaded by Daniel Kelly, MD and Keith Heinzerling, MD, explores the effect of psychedelic-assisted therapy in treating conditions such as anxiety, depression, and addiction. Our wraparound program includes preparation and integration talk th...

Clinical neuropsychologist, Dr. Barreto explains how attention is essential to our understanding. Learn about the difference between attentional issues can manifest as memory problems. For more information: 424-212-5361

When people notice their vision blurring, they will frequently dash off to the eye doctor. Not so with hearing loss. It often goes ignored and undiagnosed until it becomes unbearable. Dr. Courtney Voelker is trying to change that. She’s a neurotologist, a head and neck surgeon who specializes in diseases of the ear and related structures. She spends much of her time giving the gift of hearing to h...

Neuro-ophthalmology merges the fields of neurology and ophthalmology together. It often deals with diseases of the nervous system that affect the eye and vision. Howard R. Krauss, MD, is one of the four founders of Pacific Neuroscience Institute, and a Director of the Pacific Eye, Ear and Skull Base Center. He is a surgical neuro-ophthalmologist and his philosophy is to deliver the best eye care a...

Dr. Natalie Diaz is a movement disorders specialist. In this PNI Minute, she reviews the importance of sleep in a two part series.

Dr. Natalie Diaz is a movement disorders specialist. In this PNI Minute, she reviews the importance of sleep in a two part series.

Cavernomas are a vascular mass made up of abnormal dilated blood vessels characterized by distended blood-filled “caverns.” Vessels of a cavernoma mass have a tendency to leak and bleed because they lack the proper junctions between neighboring cells as well as the necessary structural support from smooth muscle and the stretchable material (elastin) that normally supports regular blood vessels. W...

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. That adds up to about 800,000 Americans a year. Yet, not everyone knows what a stroke is, or what the symptoms are. Very simply, a stroke is either a blockage or a rupture in a blood vessel that deprives the brain of blood. Blockages are most common, and the symptoms include difficulty with speaking or walking, paralysis in the face, arms of legs...

Alexander M. Solomon, MD, is a neuro-ophthalmologist and strabismus surgeon at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica and Torrance, CA. Dr. Solomon’s personal philosophy is that each patient is an individual and that diagnosis and optimal management of any disease is best carried out in conjunction with patient and family education, and understanding. His skillset includes visual field ana...