Category: Neurology

Does the FDA approval of aducanumab mark the return of science-based medicine?

The 20th century was an explosion of scientific innovation and discovery. The success of chemistry, physics and biology to produce things such as antibiotics, radiography and genetic analysis could not be ignored. Medicine is not now, nor has it ever b…

Unmasking the faces of COVID: pages from a neurologist’s diary [PODCAST]

“COVID was ominously not only drowning people in their own spit but struck in different shades to alter human personality that kept helplessly getting lost in the maze of their own minds. It made the young maniacal, hearing voices and talking to …

Why it’s time to split the autism spectrum [PODCAST]

“Legislative advocacy has become difficult for the severe autism population since the DSM-5 lumped Asperger’s syndrome with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Further complicating the matter, a new population recently emerged who identify as “autis…

Suspect a stroke? Act F.A.S.T.

If you suspect that you or a loved one is having a stroke, call 911. It’s a call that can mean the difference between life or death. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, it is a call that too few made. Across the nation, stroke death rates increased as …

How a Zoom nursing interview killed my self-worth

I have dedicated 35 years of my life as a nurse: in the ICU for 33 years and behavioral health/intensive management for the last two. I thought it would be time to take a break from ICU nursing. Surely behavioral health would be a lot easier — kind of …

Asking patients to write letters illuminates new aspects of the physician-patient-family relationship

In 2019, we (authors SM, LC) initiated a research study on the experience of care partners of people with Parkinson’s disease psychosis (PDP). Among other activities, participants wrote a letter to their care recipient’s doctor to the promp…

Think about your brain and spine before you start that new fad diet

Before you jump on the diet bandwagon with your brother-in-law (who’s crowing about shedding all that weight with so little effort), think about the potential downside. The problem with an ill-thought-out diet:  Fad diets are designed to take off weigh…

Migraines are more than just a headache

Sometimes, I’m warned. There might be a heaviness over the right quadrant of my head, accompanied by spotting in my vision, little flecks of light that distract my attention and signal the pain to come. Other times, there is no premonition. Out o…

Does pain change your brain?

I consult on many patients because they are suffering from pain. In fact, their pain is so severe that they are considering spinal surgery. More than 100,000 Americans decide to undergo surgery, and millions more have invasive procedures for low back p…

A neurosurgeon explains why visualization works

Brain science explains why visualization improves performance in the real world, helps make better decisions, and minimizes errors. Before performing surgery, let’s say for a herniated disc, I stand in front of a white porcelain sink. Antiseptic bubble…