Nervous System Diseases Commons^™

Tales From The Cryptogenic: A Case Of Recurrent Major Cryptogenic Stroke, Harpreet Matharu, Kennedy Aikins, Kumail Rizvi, Danielle Ford

North Texas GME Research Forum 2026

Background

It is estimated that 30 to 40% of all strokes have no identifiable cause; these are classified as cryptogenic strokes. Often, the unknown nature is secondary to delayed or incomplete investigation of cerebrovascular pathology. At times, strokes are considered truly cryptogenic as extensive stroke workup leads to no identifiable cause or etiology. Acute ischemic strokes in young adults without identifiable risk factors present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Prompt recognition and treatment are critical to optimize outcomes.

Case Presentation

A 32-year-old African American male with a past medical history of a cerebrovascular accident in 2023 at an outside hospital …

Gastroparesis As Initial Feature Of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder, Jasmine M. Silva, Jorim J. Parmar, Shivani Gandhi, Sreevani Gudiseva

North Texas GME Research Forum 2026

No abstract provided.

Retrospective Analysis Of Predictive Accuracy In Applying The Nih Stroke Scale, Rachel Hoang, Ray Rahimi, Kelly Mofor, Charley Meadows, Ty Shields, Hibba Thayyil, Hannah A. Affleck, Parker Owen, Sanjay Sharma

North Texas GME Research Forum 2026

BACKGROUND: The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is widely used to quantify neurologic deficits in acute stroke, yet it is based on observable symptoms rather than ischemic stroke pathophysiology. Because ischemic stroke typically results from focal vascular occlusion, deficits classically localize to a single hemisphere and do not cross the midline. The frequency with which patients presenting with bilateral or contralateral symptoms have MRI-confirmed ischemic infarction, compared with those with unilateral deficits, remains unclear.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients for whom a code stroke was activated at a single institution. Patients presenting with bilateral/contralateral or …

From Focal Peroneal Neuropathy To Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Case Of Progressive Unilateral Lower Extremity Pain, Ali Haider, Yu-Shiuan Hsu

MidAmerica Division GME Healthcare Symposium 2026

No abstract provided.

When A Rare Neuromuscular Disorder Meets Covid-19: A Challenging Case Of Myotonic Dystrophy In The Intensive Care Unit, Pradeep Rajbhandari, Lawrence San Jose, Michael Waxman

MidAmerica Division GME Healthcare Symposium 2026

No abstract provided.

Engineering Plga Nanoparticle Size To Modulate Immune Responses After Spinal Cord Injury, Daniel J. Kolpek

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Spinal cord injury is a severe and debilitating condition that often results in lifelong complications, including paralysis. Many of these chronic outcomes are driven by a sustained inflammatory response at the injury site, which limits tissue regeneration and functional recovery. As a result, therapeutic strategies that modulate this immune response have gained significant interest. Polymer based nanoparticle therapies have emerged as a promising approach due to their ability to interact with and influence immune cell behavior. Importantly, the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles can be precisely tuned to optimize these effects. Among these properties, size has been shown to influence key …

The Effects Of Vitamin K On Neuronal Ferroptosis, Chelsey P. Eighmey

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Dementia is a crippling illness affecting millions worldwide causing significant public health burdens with long-term care. The lack of treatment options results in many years of suffering for affected individuals and their loved ones who often become primary caretakers. Decades of study have focused on treating dementia with little-to-no success, so an emphasis is needed on attempting to prevent disease progression altogether. This research explored vitamin K as a potential strategy for prevention of dementia onset or progression through the mechanism of suppressing ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is a type of cell death suggested to contribute to the hallmark traits of Alzheimer’s …

Associations Between Contralesional Neuroplasticity And Motor Impairment Through Deep Learning-Derived Mri Regional Brain Age In Chronic Stroke (Enigma): A Multicohort, Retrospective, Observational Study, Gilsoon Park, Mahir Khan, Justin Andrushko, Nerisa Banaj, Michael Borich, Lara Boyd, Amy Brodtmann, Truman Brown, Cathrin Buetefisch, Adriana Conforto, Steven Cramer, Michael Dimyan, Martin Domin, Miranda Donnelly, Natalia Egorova-Brumley, Elsa Ermer, Wuwei Feng, Fatemeh Geranmayeh, Colleen Hanlon, Brenton Hordacre, Neda Jahanshad, Steven Kautz, Mohamed Salah Khlif, Jingchun Liu, Martin Lotze, Bradley Macintosh, Feroze Mohamed, Jan Nordvik, Fabrizio Piras, Kate Revill, Andrew Robertson, Christian Schranz, Nicolas Schweighofer, Na Jin Seo, Surjo Soekadar, Shraddha Srivastava, Bethany Tavenner, Gregory Thielman, Sophia Thomopoulos, Daniela Vecchio, Emilio Werden, Lars Westlye, Carolee Winstein, George Wittenberg, Jennifer Ferris, Chunshui Yu, Paul Thompson, Sook-Lei Liew, Hosung Kim

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Stroke leads to complex chronic structural and functional brain changes that specifically affect motor outcomes. The brain predicted age difference (PAD) has emerged as a sensitive biomarker of both sensorimotor and cognitive function after stroke. Our previous study showed a higher global brain PAD associated with poorer motor function after stroke. However, the association between local stroke lesion load, regional brain age, and motor impairment is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between focal lesion damage, regional brain PAD in both hemispheres, and motor outcomes in chronic stroke, and to identify key predictors of motor impairment.

METHODS: …

Investigating The Role Of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine For Cancer Symptom Management In Older Adults: A Rapid Review, Isabelle C. Karshner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Patients with cancer often experience symptoms related to disease, complications, and treatment. One potential method of alleviating these symptoms is traditional Chinese herbal medications (TCHM). This rapid review explores the role of traditional Chinese herbal medications in treating cancer-related symptoms in older adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this rapid review is to gain and provide a better understanding of the effects of TCHM on cancer-symptom management in the older adult population. This review explores the association between TCHM and effects on cancer symptoms in older adults, including interactions, toxicity, and signs/symptoms of TCHM use that may be useful information …

What’S Sleep Got To Do With It? A Mixed Methods Exploration Of The Feasibility, Acceptability, And Initial Outcomes Of Group Cbt For Insomnia In Parkinson’S Disease, Claire M. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is commonly associated with sleep disturbances, affecting up to 80 percent of individuals with Parkinson’s. Effective and accessible treatments for sleep problems in Parkinson’s disease remain limited. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi) is a well-established, non-pharmacological treatment for insomnia but has been minimally studied in Parkinson’s populations. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a group-based CBTi intervention adapted for individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Participants engaged in a six-week group intervention that incorporated Parkinson’s-specific adaptations. Preliminary findings indicated that the adapted group CBTi intervention was generally feasible and …

A Diagnostic Dilemma: Rcvs Or Pacns In A Young Adult, Jyoti Moorjani, Reina Kwon, Karissa Lehew, Rohan Gupta, Kainat Khan, Harry Marty-Vigo

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Ed Presentation Of Pediatric Suprasellar Mass Presenting As Headache With New-Onset Seizure, Pranav Bommineni, Arjavon Talebzadeh, Michael Beck

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Breaking The Pain Cycle: Ultrasound-Guided Sciatic Nerve Blocks For Acute Sciatica In The Ed, Pranav Bommineni, Taryn Hoffman

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (Ppms) In A 24 Year Old Male: A Case Report, Tahira Syed, Patricia Gilford

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Code Strepsis: A Multicenter Study Of The Impact Of Emergency Department Stroke Alert On Sepsis Bundle Performance In Sepsis Patients, Jason Smith, Jennifer Chapman, W Angelo Kantrales, Edward Descallar, Martin Wegman

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

7-Hydroxymitragynine Induced Perioperative Hyperalgesia In 27-Year-Old Trauma Patient, William Hickman, Katherine David, Vincent Hoffman, Ruzanna Nalbandyan

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Quick Improvement In Delirium In A Patient With Parkinson's Disease Through Rectally Administered Carbidopa/Levodopa: A Case Report, Emil Philip, Carol Elsakr, Tyler Kilgore

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Use Of Thromboembolic Cultures In Distinguishing Between Infective Endocarditis-Related Stroke Vs. Atrial Fibrillation-Related Stroke, Caroline Cutler, Lauren Abusal, Sally Baker, Thad Golden

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Meningitis: Clinical Presentation And Treatment, Madison Huff, Olivia Thomas, Payton Williams, Minh Chung

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

A Curious Case Of Confusion During A Hot Lowcountry July, Christopher D. Louviere, Param P. Patel, Morgan E. Wright

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

West Nile Virus Encephalitis With Associated Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome, Caitlyn Brown, Tilak Patel, Amanda Westbrook

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Guillan-Barre Syndrome Following Campylobacter Jejuni Infection: A Case Report, Joanmarie Lewandowski, Shahla Delawalla, Tilak Patel

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Prenatal Detection Of Grade Iv Germinal Matrix-Intraventricular Hemorrhage With White Matter Loss And Corpus Callosum Thinning Confirmed By Fetal Mri, Avery G. Kanemasu, Sara K. Wiggins, Keisha L. Reddick

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Intracranial Mycotic Aneurysm With Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Rare Neurologic Presentation Of Streptococcus Constellatus Bacteremia, Matthew R. Corn, Grace Fawcett, Cooper Alden Josephs, Matthew Mcginty, Ellie Stark, Thomas Horton

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Association Of Acetaminophen/Butalbital/Caffeine Doses And Incidence Of Cerebral Vasospasm, Emma Cloud, Mallory Stringer, Eric Shaw

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Tirofiban Use Following Mechanical Thrombectomy With Emergent Stent Placement In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Taylor Dodd, Mallory Stringer, Eric Shaw

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Gastroparesis – An Often-Overlooked Sign Of Multiple Sclerosis, Breveenn Kukan, Kaylee Brown, Minh Chung, Steven Veselsky, Joshua Ferrell

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Educational Case: Meningioma, Ashley M. Carter, Harrison Dai, Harrison Klause, Alberto Musto, Richard M. Conran

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

The following fictional case is intended as a learning tool within the Pathology Competencies for Medical Education (PCME), a set of national standards for teaching pathology. These are divided into three basic competencies: Disease Mechanisms and Processes, Organ System Pathology, and Diagnostic Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology.

The Postsynaptic Scaffolding Protein Sapap3 Shapes Mitochondrial Activity: The Case Of Huntington's Disease, Patrícia Coelho, Ildete Luísa Ferreira, Ana Sofia Lourenço, Daniela Marinho, Sandra Isabel Anjo, Zongwei Fang, Lígia Fão, Sandra I. Mota, Philippe J. Mas, Mário Carvalho, Rui Jorge Nobre, Carina Henriques, Joana Fraga, Dongqing Wang, Sandra Macedo Ribeiro, Luís Pereira De Almeida, Patrícia Monteiro, Isaura Simões, Darren J. Hart, Bruno Manadas, João Peça, Pedro Castanheira, A. Cristina Rego

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Postsynaptic scaffolding protein SAP90/PSD95-associated protein 3 (SAPAP3) modulates cortico-striatal signalling and regulates the maintenance of synaptic structure. Notably, SAPAP3 defects have been reported in several human psychiatric disorders that share pathophysiological features with Huntington’s disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the expression of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) and marked dysfunction of cortico-striatal synapses and mitochondria. However, the role of SAPAP3 in mitochondrial function and HD pathophysiology remains unexplored. SAPAP3 was extracted from striatal synaptoneurosomes and analyzed by SWATH-MS proteomics to identify potential interactors, revealing SAPAP3 association with several mitochondrial proteins, particularly Mic60. These data were further complemented with proximity ligation …

Single-Cell Transciptomic Analysis Reveals Age-Related Remodeling Of Brain Endothelial Cells, Hai Duc Nguyen, Summer Siddiqui, Diana G. Bohannon, Robert V. Blair, Hong-Wen Deng, Alexandre Prat, Woong-Ki Kim

Microbiology & Molecular Cell Biology Faculty Publications

Blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity naturally declines with age. Brain endothelial cells (ECs) and pericytes (PCs) form the BBB, and aging impairs tight junctions, likely via altered PC-to-EC signaling. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this impairment remain unclear. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we profiled 68,316 brain ECs expressing 15,564 genes from young and old mice. Unsupervised clustering and annotation revealed five distinct EC subtypes—Capillary EC1, Capillary EC2, Arterial EC, Venous EC1, and Venous EC2—defined by marker genes Mfsd2a, Plvap, Bmx, Nr2f2, and Vcam1, respectively. Aging shifted EC subtype distribution, with reduced Capillary EC1 (45% vs. 57%) and increased Arterial …