Neurology and Neurosurgery

Guest: John A. Morren, MD, FAAN, FAANEM The symptom variability, prolonged asymptomatic periods, and inconsistent presentations of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) often lead to significant diagnostic delays and misdiagnoses. Based on recent studies, these delays then correlate with increased disease severity, longer time to symptom control, and worsened quality of life. Here to help uncover the hidden toll of diagnostic delays on patients with gMG is Dr. John Morren. He’s the Program Director of the Neuromuscular Medicine Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic and an Associate Professor of Neurology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University.

Guest: Riley Bove, MD, MMSc Many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience neurogenic bladder symptoms—ranging from urgency and incontinence to retention and infection risk—but these issues are often underprioritized in care. Based on recent research, remote, commercially available bladder monitoring tools can help address this unmet need and uncover day-to-day fluctuations in bladder function. To learn more about this research, tune in to hear from Dr. Riley Bove. Not only is Dr. Bove a practicing neurologist and clinician scientist in the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, but she also presented a session on this exact topic at the 2025 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Annual Meeting.

Guest: Riley Bove, MD, MMSc From pregnancy planning and postpartum relapse risk to the overlapping symptoms of menopause, women with multiple sclerosis (MS) face unique challenges throughout the reproductive lifespan. Here to share key takeaways from her session at the 2025 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers Annual Meeting that focused on how we can better care for these patients is Dr. Riley Bove, a practicing neurologist and clinician scientist in the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences.

Host: Jerome Lisk, MD, MBA, M.S., FAAN Guest: Emile Maamary Guest: Mark Elias For patients with who struggle with daily activities due to Parkinson's disease or essential tremor, treatment options are mostly limited to medication and invasive surgery. That's why Steadiwear co-founders Mark Elias and Emile Maamary developed an FDA-registered glove engineered to suppress hand tremors. Dr. Jerome Lisk sits down with Mr. Elias and Mr. Maamary to learn more about the device and its potential real-world impacts.

Guest: Rosaline Quinlivan From sustained therapy and emergency planning to psychological support, coordinated care is essential as patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) transition into adulthood. Explore multidisciplinary approaches to optimize function, independence, and quality of life in adults with DMD with Dr. Rosaline Quinlivan, Professor of Neuromuscular Disease at University College London.

Guest: Rosaline Quinlivan As patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) transition from pediatric to adult care, they may encounter healthcare professionals—from primary care to emergency medicine—without prior experience managing their condition. Explore critical gaps in adult services for DMD and gain practical insights to help deliver timely, informed, and compassionate care with Dr. Rosaline Quinlivan, Professor of Neuromuscular Disease at University College London.

Guest: Andrew J. Solomon, MD Accurately diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) involves understanding the diagnostic criteria, recognizing red flags to avoid misdiagnosis, and keeping up with new tools. Dr. Andrew Solomon, Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Neurological Sciences and Chief of the Multiple Sclerosis Division at the University of Vermont, walks through the most difficult aspects of diagnosing patients with MS and potential breakthroughs reshaping how we approach these challenges. Dr. Solomon also spoke about this topic at the 2025 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

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: Melody Barthelemy Guest: Dawn C. Buse, PhD Melody Barthelemy, a human resources specialist, details her experiences living with migraine, including strategies for tracking episodes and thriving with a busy career. She is joined by Dawn C. Buse, PhD, Clinical Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, who discusses recent research in the field.

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.

Host: Vera Bril, MD Guest: Jonathan Strober, MD The adult and pediatric diagnostic and treatment landscapes of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) are both similar and different. While current traditional therapies are often effective in the short term, selecting the most appropriate short- and longer-term treatment for each patient, whether adult or pediatric, brings with it unique individual challenges. These challenges include how best to utilize newer targeted agents in the treatment of gMG, such as the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) inhibitors. Join Drs. Vera Bril and Jonathan Strober as they tackle these issues from both the adult and pediatric perspective.

Guest: Vera Bril, MD Guest: Hans Katzberg, MD While traditional therapies for generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) have proven beneficial in the short term, new treatment options with fewer debilitating side effects and longer-term benefit are needed. The emergence of targeted inhibitors of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) have demonstrated in clinical trials and real-world experience that they address both of these needs. Join Drs. Vera Bril, Nicholas Silvestri, and Hans Katzberg as they discuss this exciting new therapeutic option and how it may change the treatment landscape of gMG.