Brain Trust continued
Dr. Bethany R. Williams and
Dr. Jacqueline Phillips-Sabol
(seated) review a brain pathology.
deliver a patient-centered team approach,”
Dr. Encarnacion says.
When a Parkinson’s patient receives a
deep brain stimulator, the process brings
together neurology, neurosurgery, neuropsychology, and neuroimaging. Such
collaboration and continuity of care are the
foundation of the Neuroscience Institute.
As Dr. Robinson puts it, the institute
“tackles diseases at a whole-system level.”
Dr. Phillips-Sabol says, “The team approach
to treating patients is one of the greatest
assets for the benefit of the patient being
treated through the Neuroscience Institute.”
Neurosurgeons at the Neuroscience
Institute also provide leading-edge
neurosurgery techniques for some disorders.
They were among the first providers in the
country to apply techniques, such as
minimally invasive neurosurgery, for use
with appropriate disorders, such as certain
types of brain tumors.
The next frontier—research
Integration between clinical care and
research, as well as integration across the
Neuroscience Institute clinical services are
critical to the mission of the Neuroscience
Institute from its inception in 2007 and
continuing today.
Members of the Neuroscience Institute
collaborate on research. For example, fMRI
is a tool that has the potential to advance
our knowledge regarding all neurologic
conditions. “We can do research on
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,
Parkinson’s, epilepsy, and obsessivecompulsive disorder. The list would be
endless,” says Dr. Robinson.
Currently, Dr. Robinson is conducting
research into how the stress hormone
cortisol affects the brains of patients
with post-traumatic stress disorder and
depression. She is also involved in a project
that looks at schizophrenia and how it
correlates with brain inflammation, and
she is studying how brain networks
reorganize following epilepsy surgery,
comparing fMRI scans taken before and
six months after surgery.
Dr. Robinson and Dr. Encarnacion are
researching how Parkinson’s disease affects
patients over time by using the fMRI to
compare images of newly diagnosed
patients to those of patients with advanced
Parkinson’s. “That’s a perfect example of
one of the collaborations that we have,”
Dr. Robinson says.
The Plummer Movement Disorders
Center also is conducting a clinical trial
sponsored by the Michael J. Fox
Foundation. The study, now in Phase II, is
testing a supplement, which has the
potential to slow, stop, or reverse the
disease process in Parkinson’s patients.
Scott & White is one of the few sites in the
United States involved in the study,
Dr. Encarnacion says. ■
Dr. Encarnacion also is an assistant professor
of neurology, the Texas A&M Health Science
Center College of Medicine.
Dr. Friehs also is an assistant professor of
neurosurgery, the Texas A&M Health Science
Center College of Medicine.
Dr. Kirkpatrick also is a professor of psychiatry,
the Texas A&M Health Science Center College
of Medicine.
Dr. Lenehan also is an associate professor
of neurology, the Texas A&M Health Science
Center College of Medicine.
Dr. Phillips-Sabol also is an assistant professor
of surgery, the Texas A&M Health Science
Center College of Medicine.
Dr. Robinson also is an assistant professor
of neurosurgery and psychiatry and behavioral
science, the Texas A&M Health Science Center
College of Medicine.
To meet all of our doctors, please go to www.neuroscience.sw.org.
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THE CATALYST Summer/Fall 11 | www.sw.org