In The News
10 Surgeons on the Most Controversial Trends in Spine
From medically unnecessary spine surgeries to non-surgeons performing endoscopic spine procedures to the duration and rigor of residency and fellowship programs, 10 spine leaders share what they believe are the most controversial trends in their specialty today. Question: What’s the most controversial trend in spine surgery today? Andrew Sama MD. Hospital for Special Surgery (New … Read More
Why Dr. Adam Kanter Joined Hoag After 15 Years at a 40-Hospital Academic System
After 15 years at Pittsburgh-based UPMC, Adam Kanter, M.D., left the 40-hospital academic health system, where he was chief of spine surgery and a tenured professor, to become associate executive medical director of the Hoag Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute in Orange, Calif. Dr. Kanter is a central figure in several spine societies, including the chair … Read More
Science-Backed Ways to Slow Multiple Sclerosis Progression
If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), you probably know which of the four types you have: Clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, secondary progressive MS, or primary progressive MS. Regardless, you might not know exactly what “progression” of the disease means, and how—or if—you might be able to do something to help halt that progression. According to … Read More
Take Steps (literally) to Prevent Dementia
A recent study out of England found that walking just under 10,000 steps a day reduces a person’s risk of developing dementia by 50 percent. Pick up the pace to a “brisk” walk (over 40 steps per minute), and that risk goes down even further. Perhaps most strikingly, the authors found that even a low number of … Read More
How Having MS Can Impact Your Driving
Driving is synonymous with freedom and independence for many of us. With a set of keys and our GPS app of choice, we can go where we want, whenever we want. In the United States—where public transportation is often limited, and about 88% of people own a car, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center survey—the ability to drive … Read More
Artists Bring ‘Hidden Truths’ of Epilepsy to Light in Art Exhibition at Marina Park
Photo courtesy: James Carbone A unique art show in Newport Beach last weekend sought to promote awareness of epilepsy and to empower individuals living with the neurological disorder that causes seizures. Held at the Marina Park Community Center, “1:26 The Art of Epilepsy” was hosted by the Hidden Truths Project, founded by Dr. Julie Thompson-Dobkin. She … Read More
Watch Out, Alzheimer’s! Big New Grant at UCI, New Drug Trial at Hoag Coming for You
Do you make a lot of lists so you don’t forget stuff? Blank on the name of a colleague you’ve worked with for 20 years? Lose track of what day it is? We do too, but are cautioned not to panic — that’s normal as we age. But getting lost driving to a familiar place, … Read More
Hoag Enrolling Patients for Clinical Trial of Promising New Investigational Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease
Hoag Hospital in Orange County, California, is initiating a clinical trial for a promising new investigational treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). ACU193 targets amyloid-beta oligomers and is a different approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease than currently approved medications. ACU193 is designed to locate and bind to amyloid-beta oligomers – proteins that build up in the brain. … Read More
3 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Aneurysm
Surviving a brain aneurysm takes the kind of skill and state-of-the-art facilities that Hoag’s Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute provides. Even so, no treatment is more powerful than prevention. If you are high-risk, consider these tips to reducing your chances of aneurysm or stroke: Stick to the Good Stuff. Diets high in saturated and trans fats … Read More
Hoag Memorial Taps Dr. Aaron Ritter for Brain Health Program Post
Aaron Ritter, M.D., a neurobehavioral psychiatrist, will lead California-based Hoag Memorial Presbyterian Hospital’s degenerative brain health program. Dr. Ritter will serve as director of the hospital’s Memory & Cognitive Disorders Program and new Center for Integrative Brain Health at Hoag’s Neurosciences Institute in Newport Beach, Calif., according to a Sept. 13 news release from the … Read More