In the suburbs of Damascus, where Ahmad Zamzam, MD, grew up, a local expression translates to English roughly to “Stroke? Don’t even bother with treatment.” Disturbed at the lack of options reflected in this phrase, Zamzam decided he wanted to make a difference. Now, Zamzam is acting as a “pre-tending” member of our stroke service as one of our vascular neurology fellows.

This October, members of the Duke Neurology Department advanced the fields of clinical and translational neuroscience, contributing to 14 new peer-reviewed studies and one book chapter. Highlights from our recent research include validation of new automated measures that evaluate handwriting for dystonia symptoms, a discussion of the effects of blood pressure on head and facial pain, and a discussion of presentations of a neuroimmune disorder known as MOGAD.

This week’s Spotlight interview shines on our newest headache fellow, Mina Essak, DO. Essak talks to us about his work treating patients with migraines and facial pain in our Morreene Road Clinic, how he was swayed from primary care to neurology during his medical school rotations, and why in another life he would be a ski instructor. He also shares his passion for the outdoors and hopes for skiing in Banff this coming winter.

Members of the Duke Neurology Department contributed to 13 new peer-reviewed journal articles this May, advancing our understanding of how viruses that kill cancer cells may be used against brain tumors, the optimal treatments for various types of stroke, the origins of Parkinson’s disease, and more. Read the paragraphs below for summaries of our research from the past 31 days, as well as links to the complete articles themselves.

Hospital Neurology

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.

As a medical student, Paige Sutton, MD, received the following advice: choose a specialty where you won’t constantly check your watch waiting for the day to end. Sutton chose neurology and neuroimmunology in particular and has never looked back. For this week’s Spotlight interview, our current multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuroimmunology fellow talks about her time as a fellow so far, working with patients to make decisions that are best for their lifestyles and preferences, and enjoying hiking, playing the guitar and exploring North Carolina when she’s not at Duke.

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.

As a medical student, Mohanad AlGaeed, MD, was fascinated by the way a simple neurological history and exam could allow doctors to localize a problem and make an appropriate diagnosis. He decided to specialize in epilepsy and is now completing his training in our new epilepsy fellowship program.