Epilepsy, Sleep, and Clinical Neurophysiology News

U.S. News & World Report ranked Duke University Hospital as the top hospital in North Carolina and the 23rd best across the nation for neurology and neurosurgery in its 2022-2023 hospital rankings. The annual rankings, which assessed more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide, analyze and integrate dozens of medical and surgical services.

This June, members of the Duke Neurology Department contributed to 12 new peer-reviewed journal articles as well as two new book chapters. Among other findings these studies uncovered retinal differences that may one day act as early biomarkers for cognitive impairment, population-based studies that will improve treatment for stroke and other conditions, and investigations of hydrogel scaffolds as potential therapies.

As an undergraduate student, Alan Salgado, MD, knew he wanted to pursue neuroscience, but vacillated between pursuing medical or graduate school. Perhaps influenced by his father, a fellow neurologist, he chose a medical degree and a career in neurology. Now, in his final months as a neuromuscular medicine fellow at Duke, Salgado talks to us about the stroke research he performed as a resident, his future plans as a faculty member within the University of Michigan, and enjoying breweries, staying active and major league baseball when he’s not at Duke.

May is Stroke Awareness Month, and members of the Duke Neurology Department were off to an early start. They contributed to six new peer-reviewed journals investigating stroke this April, bringing our total stroke-related articles published this year to more than 20. In addition to this research, our faculty, trainees, and advanced practice providers authored or co-authored 10 other studies and contributed to books advancing our understanding of Alzheimer’s and dementia, brain tumors, epilepsy, and other conditions.

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) returned to an in-person meeting this week, bringing together neurologists from around the country and world to Seattle to learn about the latest research and clinical advances in neurology. Members of the Duke Neurology Department are playing a critical role in these proceedings this year, leading lectures and group talks, leading specialist groups, and presenting a dozen posters and scientific abstracts. Our Department’s contributions to AAN this year include the following honors, sessions, presentations, and awards.

Cory Myers, DO, had a long-standing interest in the brain and neuroscience, considering research and psychiatry before settling on neurology. Now, as one of our clinical neurophysiology fellows, he’s preparing for a career treating patients with epilepsy and related conditions in the academic setting.

The first month of 2022 saw the publication of 18 new peer-reviewed journal articles from members of the Duke Neurology Department. Highlights include a new article in Lancet Neurology discussing the epidemiology, diagnostics, and  biomarkers of autoimmune neuromuscular junction disorders, case reports describing the progression and treatment options for rare neurological conditions, and a summary of how the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic affects neurology residency programs in the United States.

Research authored by members of the Duke Neurology Department published during the final month of 2021 advanced our knowledge of stroke, epilepsy, dystonia, and other conditions.

The second half of 2021 was as eventful as the first for the Duke Neurology Department. Story highlights from July through December of this year include our Leonard White, PhD, winning a national award for excellence in teaching, the founding of a joint Duke/UNC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, two of our hospitals receiving the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s highest award for quality stroke care, and the School of Medicine receiving  awards totaling $18 million to uncover the origins of Parkinson’s disease.

The Duke Neurology Department continued to grow and expand its missions of providing excellent clinical care, conducting research to improve our understanding of neurological conditions and how to treat them, and training the next generation of neurologists throughout 2021.