This week on the program, we have remastered one of our earliest (and most interesting!) episodes on Guillain-Barre syndrome. With an important announcement from Jim Siegler. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music courtesy of Lee Rosevere. The opening theme was composed by Jimothy Dalton. Sound effects by Mike Koenig and Daniel Simion. Unless otherwise mentioned in the podcast, no competing financial interests exist in the content of this episode. BrainWaves' podcasts and online content are...

The field of neurocritical care and traumatic brain injury management is rapidly evolving. We are shifting from older (but not entirely outdated) monitoring techniques to novel diagnostic and therapeutic advances in critical care medicine. Managing intracranial pressure crises involves the careful tiptoeing of a line between maintaining brain circulation and yet reducing intracranial fluid volume. And many of our interventions rely on one simple mathematical construct: CPP = MAP - ICP ...

What do hip weakness, headache, and neglect have in common? At minimum, they can all be approached with simple neurodiagnostic heuristics. But there's more to neurology and medicine than having an approach to "leg weakness" or an approach to "headache". You have to adapt to new information as it presents itself. You have to know when, and how, to pivot. Produced by James E. Siegler, Minal Patel, and Jesse Thon. Voiceovers by Taryn Hester and Terri Yeager. Music for our program today was...

Who doesn’t enjoy their sleep? For most of us, it can be the most relaxing escape. And for others, a disturbance of sleep may be the first clue to a neurodenerative condition. Produced by James E. Siegler. Dr. Avidan reports that he receives royalties from Elsevier, is a consultant for Merck, and is a speaker for Eisai and Harmony. Music for our program today was by Andy Cohen, Purple Planet Music, Steve Combs, Yan Terrien, and Shane Ivers, whose music can be found at silvermansound.com....

As many as 1% of the world has epilepsy, but far more than will have a seizure in their lifetime. Not everyone needs a seizure medication, some people are even harmed by them. So who warrants treatment, and what do you start with. Consider today’s program an intro to AED decision making. For educational purposes only, of course. Not to guide any healthcare provider’s decision making. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music courtesy of Lee Rosevere, Cellophane Sam, Jon Watts, Josh Woodward, and...

To quote Donald Rumsfeld, “there are things we know we know…. we know there are some things we do not know... But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know…it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult ones.” In neurology, the agnosias are not that dissimilar from Rumsfeld’s 'unknown unknowns.' In this week’s program, we discuss the nosology and nomenclature for the agnosias, the localization, and the importance of recognizing one. Produced by James E....

Almost 5 years ago, we published a show on chronic traumatic encephalopathy and its relationship to American football. But a lot has happened since 2016. New rules in the NFL. Emerging data on how the developing human brain of a child or adolescent is even more vulnerable to pathologic changes following mild head injury. And a heightened awareness of the disingenuous campaign against contact sports among one of the most outspoken whistleblowers in the medical field. This week on the program,...

Happy New Year, and good riddance 2020! Hopefully there is more that you will take away from the past 12 months other than your personal experience with the coronavirus pandemic. Whether you lost a job, a loved one, or an invaluable life experience, I think we can all say BRING ON 2021! So let's welcome the new year with positive mental attitude, a bit more luck, and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music courtesy of Jahzzar, Kevin McLeod, Patches,...

I shouldn’t have to tell you that traumatic brain injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. I shouldn’t have to. But I will. And it is. In severe cases of head injury, there can be delayed and irreversible deterioration in the nervous system for which there is no treatment and the prognosis is grim. This week on the program, Dr. Monisha Kumar (University of Pennsylvania) discusses the worst of the worst of these scenarios, what to look out for, and expert recommendations on what to...

COVID-19 is more than just a threat to your physical health. Even if you are never infected, you may not be free of it. In today's program, we take lessons from prior pandemics and consider the sociocultural effects of a global infectious disease. Be advised, this one is of the "sentimental" variety. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music courtesy of Purple Planet Music, Meydn, Kevin MacLeod and Shane Ivers, which you can find at Silvermansound.com. The opening theme was composed by Jimothy...

The mental status exam is a keystone of the neurologic assessment. Dr. Andrea Casher (Cooper University Hospital) builds upon this metaphor in our program this week. Making a special appearance is US President Donald Trump, who underwent a mental status exam and recounts his experience. Produced by James E. Siegler and Andrea Casher. Music courtesy of Unheard Music Concepts, Purple Planet Music, Lee Rosevere, and Scott Holmes. The opening theme was composed by Jimothy Dalton. Sound effects...

October 29 is World Stroke Day! Might as well know how it is best treated. This week, Jim Siegler revisits a 2017 episode on the differences between two of the most commonly prescribed post-stroke treatments, with some key updates, recent trial results, and practice-changing paradigms. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music courtesy of William Ross Chernoff’s Nomads, Steve Combs, Rui, Little Glass Men, and Peter Rudenko. The opening theme was composed by Jimothy Dalton. Sound effects by Mike...

This week on the program, we bring to you a special episode on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the neurology 2021 match--and potentially MANY subsequent matches. Jim Siegler is joined by the Assistant Program Director of the Cooper Neurology Residency Program, Olga Thon, and the creators of the @NMatch2021 Twitter account (who you should DEFINITELY follow after listening to our episode). If you are an applicant for the 2021 cycle, this show is MANDATORY. (only kidding, this is just a...

Halloween is one of the most exciting and festive holidays, but this year I imagine many of us are going to spend it indoors. To help pass the time, enjoy this seasonal special about the neurologic manifestations of zombie-ism. Today's program is a re-run from 2017, featuring Dr. Brian Hanrahan, and has been remastered and updated with some recent additions in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music courtesy of Andrew Sacco, Ars Sonor, Yan Terrien, and Unheard...

As the second most common vascular malformation in the central nervous system, cerebral cavernomas are often incidental radiographic findings. Also incidental is Jim’s interest in mediocre sci-fi television shows, such as Netflix’s recent series, Away—which incidentally includes one character with a symptomatic cerebral cavernoma. This week on the podcast, Dr. Siegler discusses with Dr. Dena Little (Cooper University Hospital) the epidemiology, clinical course, and management (including...

You know the triad for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Wet, wobbly, and wacky. And you have probably heard of the Evan’s index—the relative proportion of the lateral ventricles in reference to the inner table of the skull. But you might not have heard of high-convexity tight sulci. Now you have. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music courtesy of Jason Shaw, Javolenus, and Lee Rosevere, under a Creative Commons License. The opening theme was composed by Jimothy Dalton. Sound effects by...

Myoclonus is the most etiologically non-specific motor manifestation of neurologic and systemic disease. It’s like slurred speech or altered mental status. But in the appropriate context, it can become a useful clue in your differential diagnosis. Dr. John Caviness of the Mayo Clinic joins Jim Siegler this week for a discussion on this abnormal movement and what it may indicate. Produced by James E. Siegler and John Caviness. Music courtesy of Kevin McLeod and E’s Jammy Jams. “Endings” and...

A lot can happen in two years. You might have matched into residency, graduated from fellowship, had a kid... Or several phase II trials in low grade glioma research could have been published. Since the original airing of this episode in May 2018, there have been a few updates in neuro-oncology. We'll cover some of the major ones this week in the BrainWaves podcast. Produced by James E. Siegler, Brian Nahed and Jorg Dietrich. Music courtesy of Ian Sutherland, Lovira, and Lee Roosevere. The...

The electroencephalogram is a nearly 100-year old neurodiagnostic instrument. And yet, we learn new things from it every day. This week on the BrainWaves podcast, Dr. Tracey Milligan (Mass General Brigham) reviews the indications and utilization of a routine scalp EEG. Also discussed: Limitations of scalp EEG Brain surgery Non-epileptic events Why YOU should consider becoming an epileptologist Produced by James E. Siegler and Tracey Milligan. Music courtesy of Steve Combs, Lee Roosevere,...

The locked-in syndrome is a rare clinical consequence following many types of neurologic injury. In general, the locked-in patient is fully paralyzed, with perhaps minimal function of the fingers, the eyes, or the mouth. What's more, the gross motor dysfunction is enormously disproportional to the cognitive function of the individual. The locked-in patient is conscious and completely aware of their surroundings. They can often hear, see, smell, and feel just as any other person would. But...

Webster defines ‘idiopathic’ as “arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause”. By definition, this means idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) has no proximate cause. But that’s not exactly true. This week on the podcast, we explore the recent evidence behind the theory that transverse sinus stenosis may contribute to this condition. Disclaimer: No chicken or eggs were harmed in the making of this episode. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music courtesy of Squire Tuck,...

It’s more than just a headache. Migraine is a disturbance of normal neurological function, and as you are aware, it causes more than just severe head pain. This week on BrainWaves, Dr. Deborah Friedman (UT Southwestern) shares her experience evaluating and managing the unusual neurologic manifestations of migraine that aren’t just the misery from recurrent attacks. Produced by James E. Siegler & Deborah Friedman. Music courtesy of Josh Woodward, Kevin McLeod and Lee Rosevere. The opening...

On rounds, I sometimes joke that the two most important organs in the body are the right and left hemisphere. Only one of many, terrible, dad jokes my poor residents and students have to endure. But what happens when one organ fails, or you have to remove it? This week on BrainWaves, we’ll review a unique neurologic condition where such incredible hemispheric dysfunction can only be treated by surgically removing half of the brain. And OMG, a show about pediatrics! ** IF YOU’RE TAKING YOUR...

Lewy Body Dementia may be the second most common neuropathologic cause of dementia behind Alzheimer disease, but it remains largely a clinical diagnosis with limited treatment options. This week on BrainWaves, Dr. Amy Colcher (Cooper University Hospital) reviews the diagnostic criteria and management strategies for patients and their caregivers who suffer from this condition. Plus, a sort of tribute to Robin Williams. ** IF YOU’RE TAKING YOUR NEUROLOGY BOARDS THIS SUMMER, CHECK OUT THE PENN...