Brain Trust continued
in that patient’s care becomes part of a
team. “Each person on that particular team
is an expert on that disorder,” says
Jacqueline Phillips-Sabol, PhD, director of
the Division of Neuropsychology.
Neurosurgery
As a component of the Texas A&M
University Health Science Center College of
Medicine, the Department of Neurosurgery
is a unique academic neurosurgical practice
in Central Texas.
In addition to treatment of brain tumors
and spinal disorders, often addressed by
minimally invasive procedures (see the
Summer 2010 issue of THE CATALYST),
neurosurgery provides surgical support to a
variety of other conditions, such as
traumatic brain injury and movement
disorders. One of the most common patient
complaints is chronic pain. In fact, the
number of neurosurgery patients has almost
quadrupled in the past four years, most of
them seeking to eradicate pain. Dr. Friehs
says neurosurgeons are often called upon to
ease chronic pain disorders, including back
pain and headaches, because such problems
are debilitating and oftentimes resistant to
traditional treatment regimens. “Eighty
percent of the population will experience
significant headaches or back pain—or
both—at some point in their lives,” he says.
Besides surgery to repair damaged spinal
disks, surgical options to treat pain now
include such innovations as a “pain pump,”
a hockey puck–sized device implanted by a
neurosurgeon during a minimally invasive
procedure, that releases pain medication
directly into the spinal fluid.
Neurology
The neuroscience community continues
to study the nature of neurologic diseases
to glean insights about their cures.
Disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (a
movement disorder characterized by
tremors) and epilepsy (a seizure disorder)
remain medical challenges, although
medications and treatment can help
control their symptoms.
The Plummer Movement Disorders
Center (PMDC) is staffed by fellowshiptrained movement disorder specialists
certified by the National Parkinson
Foundation. Elmyra Encarnacion, MD,
director of the PMDC, has been actively
involved in an awareness campaign to
educate the community and primary care
providers about Parkinson’s and other
movement disorders. As a result, she has
seen an increase in the number of newly
diagnosed patient referrals. “The earlier in
the disease process we meet the patient, the
earlier we can educate them about the
disease which leads to better coping skills,”
she says. “It results in better treatment
response.” Dr. Encarnacion has also helped
to create a support system for Parkinson’s
patients in Central Texas.
Neuropsychology
“{Patients at the Neuroscience Institute are}
followed through by one physician who
becomes the team leader based on what
disease {they have}.”
—Gerhard Friehs, MD
30
THE CATALYST Summer/Fall 11 | www.sw.org
Scott & White is the only Central Texas
hospital with its own Division of
Neuropsychology. Dr. Phillips-Sabol
explains: “Neuropsychologists evaluate the
relationship between the brain and