Neurology and Neurosurgery

Guest: Karissa Gable, MD From innovative diagnostic strategies to targeted immunotherapies, our approach to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) management is rapidly evolving. Dr. Karissa Gable, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Duke University Medical Center, breaks down the new developments that aim to improve outcomes through a deeper pathophysiological understanding of the disease and personalized strategies.

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Jason Ackrivo, MD, MSCE Guest: Bethany Lussier, MD Respiratory decline in patients with neuromuscular diseases and mitochondrial myopathies can be challenging to identify, especially because its early signs may be subtle and vary from person to person. However, knowing how to evaluate a patient’s respiratory function is key to improving outcomes and quality of life. Joining Dr. Charles Turck to discuss this importance and provide recommendations for optimizing respiratory care are Drs. Jason Ackrivo and Bethany Lussier. Dr. Ackrivo is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Lussier is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of its Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.

Guest: Prajwal Ciryam, MD, PhD Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) trigger a rapid transcriptional response in the choroid plexus, dominated by chemokines that attract neutrophils. Join Dr. Prajwal Ciryam, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, as he explains how this early signaling may represent a critical window for modulating inflammation in the injured brain. Dr. Ciryam also spoke about this topic at the 2025 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Guest: Kelly Sloane, MD For patients who experience aphasia after a stroke, intervention and social support are crucial for recovery. Dr. Kelly Sloane, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, highlights how timely therapy and strong support systems can help rebuild both language and confidence in these patients. Dr. Sloane also spoke about this topic at the 2025 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Guest: Lauren Schaff, MD Glioblastomas are fast, aggressive, and resistant to many standard therapies. Dr. Lauren Schaff, a neuro-oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, explains how new molecular understandings and treatment avenues are paving the way for a more personalized, hopeful approach to care.

Guest: Jennie Taylor, MD Defined by the production of 2-hydroxyglutarate, mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase (mIDH) gliomas are diffuse, slow-growing tumors. Managing these tumors requires personalized strategies that consider resectability, histology, and long-term treatment impacts. Dr. Jennie Taylor, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurological Surgery at the University of California San Francisco, explains the complexities behind this type of tumor and implications for patient care. Dr. Taylor also spoke about this topic at the 2025 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Guest: Jennie Taylor, MD The FDA approval of vorasidenib marks a new era for mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase (mIDH) gliomas. Approved in 2024 for grade 2 tumors after surgery, it doubled progression-free survival in the INDIGO trial. Dr. Jennie Taylor, Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurological Surgery at the University of California San Francisco, dives into the data and explains what questions remain about long-term use and broader applications.

Guest: Beth Ann Malow, MD, MS The impacts of climate change present a growing threat to brain health. Rising heat, air pollution, and oxidative stress appear to worsen conditions like stroke, dementia, and multiple sclerosis. Join Dr. Beth Malow as she outlines the essential role clinicians play in prevention and education. Dr. Malow is a Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics and the Vice Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Kaitlin Batley, MD Guest: Esra Caylan, MD Thymidine kinase 2 deficiency (TK2d) presents with a variability of symptoms, including respiratory, neurological, and ocular ones, making it difficult to diagnose. Because of this, a multidisciplinary care team that’s tailored to each patient’s needs is key to effectively identifying and treating this disease. Hear about the role of a multidisciplinary team and strategies for personalizing treatment with Drs. Kaitlin Batley and Esra Caylan. Dr. Batley is the Director of Pediatric Neuromuscular Medicine at Children’s Health and an Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Caylan is a pediatric pulmonologist at Children’s Health and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Guest: Hans Katzberg, MD Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is a complex immune-mediated condition affecting the peripheral nervous system. Join Dr. Hans Katzberg, Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, as he explains the pathophysiology behind CIDP, risk factors in disease development, and diagnostic strategies.

Guest: Sami Khella, MD Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) can present in multiple ways, making diagnosis complex. Dr. Sami Khella joins the program to outline how we can distinguish CIDP from similar neurological disorders and explain how response to therapy can guide diagnosis. Dr. Khella is the Director of Clinical Electrophysiology and a Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, and he spoke about this topic at the 2025 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Guest: Sami Khella, MD With personalized approaches, alternatives to steroids, and novel therapies like efgartigimod, the treatment landscape for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is continuing to evolve. Join Dr. Sami Khella as he shares expert insights on our available options. Dr. Khella is the Director of Clinical Electrophysiology and a Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, and he spoke about this topic at the 2025 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Guest: Christian Cordano, MD, PhD While multiple kinds of animal models are commonly used to study multiple sclerosis (MS), they are not always ideal for getting the full picture of the disease. To address these gaps, a new CAR T-cell-based model provides a reproducible disease course, discrete lesion formation, and an improved platform for testing remyelination therapies. Dr. Christian Cordano, Associate Researcher of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences, explains how this approach aims to overcome key limitations of traditional research models for MS. Dr. Cordano also spoke on this topic at the ACTRIMS Forum 2025.

Host: M. Edip Gurol, MD, MSc Guest: Robin Novakovic, MD Guest: Shadi Yaghi, MD Guest: Jeffrey Weitz, MD Despite significant efforts to prevent stroke in patients, there remains an unmet need among providers regarding the optimization and benefit-risk profile of anticoagulation therapies. Learn how these therapies may impact the prevention of ischemic stroke and secondary stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Guest: Amber Salter, PhD A recent study examined the association between comorbidities, adverse events, and early trial discontinuation in phase III clinical trials for disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis. Join Dr. Amber Salter as she explains her findings and implications for clinical practice, including personalized treatment approaches. Dr. Salter is an Associate Professor of Biostatistics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and she presented on this research at the ACTRIMS Forum 2025.

Guest: Michael Kornberg, MD, PhD A recent study found that a ketogenic diet may have anti-inflammatory effects in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), potentially reducing relapse risk. However, this diet also comes with a variety of risks and challenges. Hear from Dr. Michael Kornberg as he explains the potential benefits and drawbacks of this approach. Dr. Kornberg is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and he presented on this topic at the ACTRIMS Forum 2025.

Guest: Amy Kuceyeski, PhD In patients with multiple sclerosis, lesions in white matter can disrupt brain connectivity, leading to cognitive and motor impairments. Join Dr. Amy Kuceyeski as she discusses the pathophysiology behind structural disconnectivity and shares insights on new tools being developed to more accurately identify it in patients with multiple sclerosis. Dr. Kuceyeski is a Professor of Mathematics in Radiology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine, and she spoke on this topic at the ACTRIMS Forum 2025.

Guest: Cristin Welle, PhD To address the concerning effects of demyelinating events in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a recent study explored whether neuromodulation could support myelin repair and restoration of function. Learn more as Dr. Cristin Welle explains how vagus nerve stimulation has the potential to play a role in remyelination. Dr. Cristin Welle is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Physiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and she spoke about this topic at the ACTRIMS Forum 2025.

Guest: Dalia Rotstein, MD, MPH Prodromal symptoms are common in neurologic and inflammatory conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS). Recent evidence suggests that prodromal symptoms also exist in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and MOG antibody disease (MOGAD). Join Dr. Dalia Rotstein as she explains how emerging research is providing insight into these symptoms, potentially informing our diagnostic strategies.

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Jason Ackrivo, MD, MSCE Respiratory complications are fairly common in patients with neuromuscular disorders, and given their vast impacts on a patient’s prognosis and quality of life, it’s critical to proactively detect and monitor any signs of respiratory decline. To learn more about the symptoms, impacts, and diagnosis of respiratory complications in patients with neuromuscular disorders, Dr. Charles Turck speaks with Dr. Jason Ackrivo. Not only is Dr. Ackrivo the Associate Director of the Fishman Program for Home Assisted Ventilation, but he's also an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.