Nervous System Diseases Commons^™

A Flea-Borne Mystery: Unraveling Murine Typhus In A Patient With Unexplained Encephalopathy, Jose Loayza Pintado, Jorge Aboytes Trevino, Ceasar Uribe

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Effective Communication In The Pronunciation Of Brain Death, Sumanth Reddy, Artur Amirkhanyan, Jeremiah Avarana, Praneetha Arge, Alicia Lay

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Background: Clinical brain death determination requires both technical proficiency and sensitive communication with families. However, residents often report inadequate training and confidence in performing and discussing these examinations. This study evaluated an educational intervention combining didactic training and simulation to improve residents’ competence in brain death protocols and family communication. Methods: A mixed-methods cohort study was conducted with resident physicians. Participants completed a pre-intervention questionnaire assessing baseline knowledge, experience, and confidence in brain death determination and communication. An educational session reviewed clinical criteria, examination protocols, and communication strategies. Residents then engaged in an in-person simulation with standardized actors portraying grieving …

Coexisting Type A And B Aortic Dissection With Extension To Carotid Arteries Resulting In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Dung Nguyen, Jilpa Shah, Amnah Andrabi

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Coexisting Type A and B aortic dissection with extension to carotid arteries resulting in acute ischemic stroke Abstract Background: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a rare cause of ischemic stroke. Additionally, it is even rarer to have a combined type A and type B aortic dissection. ADD is a high-mortality disease that can lead to immediate decompensation and can be masked by stroke-like symptoms, which can result in delayed or missed diagnosis. We report a patient with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with subsequent combined type A and type B aortic dissection. Case Report: A 47-year-old man was admitted to the …

Atypical Presentation Of Moyamoya Disease Presenting With Severe Headache: A Case Report, Nilay Bhatt, Tirth Vyas

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Pembrolizumab Induced Myasthenia Gravis, Praise Ohabor, Alexis Lopez Cruz, Deekshita Valiveti, Brandi Addison, Zuhair Ali

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Meningitis With Pyogenic Ventriculitis, Shterna Frand, Matthew Gutzmer, Melissa Jaworski, Calan Teel, Premal Patel

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Bacterial meningitis and subsequent pyogenic ventriculitis in patients with complex medical histories and prior cranial surgeries presents significant diagnostic and management challenges. While typical signs of infection such as fever and leukocytosis may be present, secondary complications including seizure, respiratory failure, and pyogenic ventriculitis can complicate the clinical course. This case illustrates the need for comprehensive evaluation and tailored intervention in immunocompromised patients presenting with atypical infection. The case involved a 63-year-old female with a prior craniotomy and multiple comorbidities, presenting to the Emergency Department with acute encephalopathy and suspected bacterial meningitis. Upon transfer to the ICU following acute onset …

The Intersection Of Hypophysitis And Central Diabetes Insipidus: A Clinical Case Report, Sanjana Kesireddy, Brina Gonzalez, Mohan Sengodan

North Texas Research Forum 2025

INTRODUCTION: Hypophysitis can cause damage to the posterior pituitary, which in turn impairs the production or release of ADH, leading to the symptoms of central diabetes insipidus. Without enough ADH, the kidneys cannot concentrate urine, resulting in the symptoms of excessive thirst and urination seen in central diabetes insidious. CASE PRESENTATION: 27 year old female presents with excessive thirst, headache, nausea and vomiting. Patient had increased urine output since endoscopic trans sphenoidal resection of pituatary mass. She was started on desmpressin 0.2mg orally three times a day. Based on urine specific gravity and urine output per hour, IV desmopressin was …

Isolated Unilateral Medial Rectus Palsy Due To Acute Pontine Infarction, Miranda Bingham, Shterna Frand, Charley Meadows, Sanjay Sharma

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Isolated unilateral medial rectus palsy is a rare but significant clinical manifestation of acute pontine infarction, often presenting without the typical neurological deficits seen in brainstem strokes. This case report highlights a 61-year-old male with a history of hypertension and diabetes who presented with four days of double vision, with no other significant neurological symptoms such as headache, speech disturbances, or focal weakness. On examination, the patient exhibited an isolated inability to adduct his left eye, without any visual deficits or abnormalities in other cranial nerve functions. Neuroimaging, specifically MRI, confirmed the diagnosis of an acute left pontine infarction. The …

Refractory Hydrocephalus Treated With Ventriculo-Cholecystic Shunt In An Adult, Deekshita Valiveti, Munanchu Poudel, Rahul Dadhwal

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Todd's Paralysis: Sharpnel-Induce Seizure, Kenny Tran, Alain Folefack

North Texas Research Forum 2025

When evaluating seizure in war veterans, distinguishing new-onset hemiparesis with aphasia from stroke can be challenging due to prior brain injury and anticonvulsant therapy. This case involves a patient with a shrapnel injury displaying stroke-symptoms after a seizure highlights the differences between stroke and seizure-related deficits in this population. Careful consideration of imaging, history and clinical presentation are essential for accurate diagnosis and management.

Distinguishing Narcolepsy Hallucinations From Drug-Induced Hallucinations In An Adolescent With Comorbidities, Avidor Gerstenfeld, Biwy Emmanuella Cadet, Salma Alkhatib, Annette Santiago

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Cryptococcal Meningitis In A Patient With Multiple Sclerosis On Fingolimod, Syed Hassan Amir, Teena Mathew

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Background: There are a host of pathogens that thrive only when the host is weakened enough to be susceptible – Cryptococcus is one such organism that causes fatal meningitis, primarily in HIV patients. Those immunocompromised by other means are also susceptible. Among them, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) pose a significant challenge as what may initially be considered an MS flare could mask a serious underlying infection. Objective: This case study discusses an MS patient on Fingolimod, an immunosuppressant, that likely made them vulnerable to cryptococcal meningitis. Pathogenesis: Cryptococci are encapsulated yeast that enter the body via inhalation of spores …

Efficacy Of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment In Post-Stroke Recovery Patients, Elizabeth White, Dakota Dalton, Alexis Walker, Patrick Vu, Christopher Medina

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Each year, an estimated 795,000 adults in the United States have a stroke, making it the fifth leading cause of death and the tenth leading cause of adult disability. Current literature addresses the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) for pain and physical limitations in the post-acute outpatient setting. However, stroke patients can benefit additionally from rehabilitation in the subacute hospital setting as demonstrated by this case study. A 53-year-old Caucasian female presented to the emergency department with a history of slurred speech and right-sided weakness secondary to a left middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke. Head computed tomography angiogram (CTA) …

Granulomatosis With Polyangitis Presenting As Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis And Oculomotor Nerve Palsy: A Case Report, Kempes Chan, Nanda Gopalan

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

An Atypical Presentation Of Anti-Caspr2 Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, Aaron De La Cruz, Sarita Thanedar, Shao-Ting Min, Prabhdeep Singh, Hitesh Gidwani

Central & West Texas and San Antonio GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Streamlining Stroke Care: Optimizing In-House Stroke Alert Order Set Utilization, Drashti Desai, Joshua Shultz, Yu Ya Nway, Hasib Ibne-Rasa

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Link Between Covid-19 And Transverse Myelitis: A Case Report, Sara Sanghera, Trivianne Franklin, Veeranna Vibhuti, Danielle Ford

North Texas Research Forum 2025

Transverse myelitis (TM) is a rare inflammatory syndrome of the spinal cord that is often attributed to immune-mediated responses which lead to demyelination and the resultant varying degrees of motor, sensory, and autonomic dysfunction. While COVID-19 virus itself is known to present with anosmia, ageusia and Guillian Barre syndrome, a few rare cases of COVID-virus related TM have been reported. This case presents a 61-year-old female experiencing bilateral lower extremity weakness with brisk to absent reflexes. Onset of the symptoms was of 3 days origin, and she was tested positive for COVID-19. Patient did not have upper extremity symptoms but …

Leveraging Clinical Standards To Improve The Translational Relevance Of Therapies For Experimental Spinal Cord Injury, Aaron L. Silverstein

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Efforts to improve treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) often use animals to develop effective therapeutics, intending to improve the survival and the quality of life of persons with SCI. Over half of all SCIs in the United States occur at the cervical level and often cause locomotor deficits and life-threatening breathing dysfunction. Thus, my dissertation is focused on this important patient population.

After beginning with a description of translational research and surveying SCI from a clinical standpoint, I turned to describe experimental models of cervical SCI and more detailed neuroimmunological findings relevant to my work. Then, I conducted a …

Cell-Type Specific Apoe4 To Apoe2 ‘Switching’ In Astrocytes And Microglia Alters Alzheimer’S Disease Neuropathology, Lesley R. Golden

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD). APOE exists in three common protein isoforms throughout the population: ApoE2 (E2), ApoE3 (E3), and ApoE4 (E4). While APOE allele frequencies and the degree of AD-associated risk vary across different ethnic groups, when compared to the ‘neutral’ and most common E3 allele, the E4 allele confers up to a 33-fold increase in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) risk. Conversely, the neuroprotective E2 allele decreases AD risk by up to 67%. Here, we aimed to determine the therapeutic potential of cell-type specific APOE allele ‘switching’ and explore …

A Rare Case Of Maffucci Syndrome Presenting With Cord Compression And Paradoxical Stroke, Fernando Lugo-Hernandez, Nicholas Farelo-Camargo, Adriana Rivera-Diaz, Mariana Villamizar-Suarez, Marwa Hegagi

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Bilateral Thalamic And Basal Ganglia Infarcts Secondary To Deep Venous Sinus Thrombosis In The Setting Of Testosterone Use, Cristian Solano

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Vascular Trigeminal Neuralgia: Dolichoectasia Of Basilar Artery, Adwait Lonkar, Christopher Koebbe, Mariya Milko, Craig Spergel

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

A Fatal Case Of Central Pontine Myelinolysis With Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, Miguel Serrano, Grant Read, Karen Joseph

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Use Of Kratom Tea Supplements For The Treatment Of Self-Diagnosed Anxiety And Its Association With New Onset Seizures In A Young Adult Male, Gloria Travieso-Zadan, Lucas Zadan, Daniel Breznau

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Alpha-Synuclein Interaction With Gedunin, Tony Matundura Nyabayo

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other Proteinopathies develop when α-synuclein misfolds and aggregates into toxic amyloids. While existing treatments for PD are primarily focused on managing its symptoms, a viable solution for slowing down the progress of Parkinson’s disease involves targeting the toxic α-synuclein amyloids. Gedunin, a natural inhibitor of heat shock protein 90, has been extensively used to treat malaria. Also, recent research investigations have shed light on its potential beyond malaria therapy, indicating that Gedunin may offer a possible solution for treating a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Using plate-based assays, we examined how Gedunin influences α-synuclein fibrillation and its …

Case Report: Wall-Eyed Bilateral Internuclear Ophthalmoplegia From A Pontine Stroke, Renuka Mahatara, Sahil Parikh, Jeffery Bodle

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

A Case Report Of Fatal Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Associated With Tivozanib In Renal Cell Carcinoma, Chad Michalenko, Ian Whitaker, Abhinav Rao

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Acute Ischemic Stroke In The Setting Of Lambl’S Excrescenses, Natalia C. Badillo, Jay Heckert, Yoan Rodriguez, Ashu Dhanjal

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Neurosyphilis Mortality Trends In The United States (1999–2023): A Cdc Wonder Database Analysis, Amy Mackenzie, Barbara Gracious

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Unmasking Cns Vasculitis: A Neurological Mystery Behind Recurrent Strokes In A Young Patient, Arthika Sakthevel, Vishal Shah, Holden Lewis, Alyssa Rojas, Mohamed Faris

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.