Neuroscience

Acute Ischemic Stroke

An acute ischemic stroke is a serious medical emergency in which blood flow to the brain is interrupted or severely reduced. When it comes to stroke management and care, the DHR Health Neuroscience Institute is the Rio Grande Valley’s premier treatment center. As the first Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region, we are the leading stroke care team and your choice for neurology and neuroendovascular services. With a dedicated neurological intensive care unit, we are equipped to handle the most complex cases with the highest level of care. Our team of highly specialized healthcare professionals provides the most extensive stroke treatment services in South Texas.

For more information and available resources, click here.

For more information about DHR Stroke Program quality, click here.

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, irreversible brain disorder in which the individual's memory and thinking skills are affected. Most people show symptoms of Alzheimer's in their mid-60's.

Aphasia

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects the area of the brain that controls language, expression, and comprehension.

Ataxia

Ataxia is a lack of muscle control during voluntary muscle movements. Ataxia can also impact speech, eye movement and swallowing.

Autonomic Disorders

Autonomic neuropathy occurs when the nerves that control involuntary movements are damaged. This may affect blood pressure, temperature control, bladder function, digestion, and in some cases, sexual function.

Brain and spinal arteriovenous malformations

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are defects in the blood vessels near the brain or spinal cord. Symptoms may include headache, pain, seizures, or stroke. Cerebral AVMs can be identified using angiography, CT scans, or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and treated with minimally invasive surgery.

Cancer, Chemobrain, and Other Cancer-Related Treatments

Many patients that have undergone chemotherapy report changes in their thinking abilities. Studies have shown that some cancer patients exhibit impairments in their cognitive functioning. This includes impairments with their ability to process information in a timely manner, problem-solving, multi-tasking, and memory. Several factors may increase the risk for these impairments such as route of administration or exposure to higher doses of chemotherapy. Brain tumors and their associated treatments may also cause impairments in cognitive functioning. This includes surgical treatments, radiation therapy, or concurrent chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Carotid Angioplasty and Stenting

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is a procedure used to widen a narrow carotid artery. Your doctor may use this procedure if you have had a stroke to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

Carpel tunnel syndrome is a condition in which the median nerve is compressed in the wrist at the carpal tunnel. The most common symptoms are pain, numbness and tingling in the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and the median side of the middle fingers.

Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery

We specialize in the treatment of complex neurovascular disorders, such as aneurysms, arterlovenous malformations, carotid artery stenosis, cavernous malformations, and moyamoya, using both open microvascular brain surgery and endovascular neurosurgery.

Dementia & Memory Loss

Dementia is not a specific disease, but rather a group of symptoms caused by disorders that affect the brain. Memory loss is a very common symptom. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease.

Double Vision/ Loss of Vision

Known as diplopia, double vision is seeing two images of a single object. There are different possible reasons for double vision. Talk to your neurologist to determine the cause of your double vision.

Dystonia

Dystonia is the involuntary movement of your muscles. These movements are often twisting, repetitive movements. Dystonia can be caused by different disorders or injuries.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which the patient experiences recurring seizures. The nerve cells in the brain send out the wrong signals, causing a seizure. Talk to your neurologist about what treatment options are available to best manage your epilepsy.

Epilepsy Surgery

Epilepsy surgery can reduce or eliminate seizure activity by treating or removing the area of the brain the seizures originate. The surgery works best for those whose seizures always originate in the same place in the brain. Depending on the type of seizure and where they originate, treatment options include removing a portion of the brain, severing the connection between hemispheres, or removing half of the brain in a procedure called hemispherectomy.

Epilepsy and Other Seizure Disorders

Neuropsychological testing has been shown to be beneficial for patients with epilepsy and other seizure conditions. Many of these conditions may impact cognitive functioning. For example, patients with temporal lobe epilepsy tend to experience problems with memory. Neuropsychological testing is helpful in identifying specific areas of the brain that are being impacted by seizures. This information can then be used by the patient’s treatment team if surgery is being considered as a treatment option. Neuropsychological testing is also helpful in assessing both cognitive and academic abilities to determine the impact of seizures on these abilities.

Frontotemporal Dementias (FTD)

This is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. They are divided into three variants: behavioral, language, and motor. The behavioral variant is the most common and occurs more frequently in males. The average age of onset typically occurs between the ages of 40 and 65, with an average age of 54. The hallmark features are personality changes and behavioral problems that include reduced motivation, social isolation, poor decision-making, and disinhibition. The language variant involves language deterioration and the motor variant involves progressive deterioration of motor functions.

Intracranial Aneurysms

A, intracranial, or brain, aneurysm is a bulge of ballooning of a blood vessel in the brain. Aneurysms can leak or rupture, causing bleeding in the brain. The aneurysm can be treated through minimally invasive endovascular surgery or open surgery, depending on the location and size of the aneurysm.

Intracranial and Spine Tumor Embolization

Tumor embolization is the process in which the blood vessels around a tumor are blocked, reducing the potential of blood loss and improving the visual of the surgical site.

Lewy Body Dementia

This is the second most common cause of dementia in the United States. Common features include changes in attention and alertness throughout the day, recurrent visual hallucinations, and Parkinsonism (tremors, slowed body movements). Nighttime behaviors such as talking, yelling, punching, kicking, sitting, jumping from bed, and arm flinging while asleep may also occur. Cognitive impairments are often seen in the areas of attention and concentration, ability to process information in a timely manner, visual perception, ability to organize and construct visual information, multi-tasking, problem-solving, and memory.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease affecting the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). Home to the only Fellowship-trained Neuroimmunologist in the Rio Grande Valley, DHR Health Neuroscience Institute is able to offer comprehensive care to those battling Multiple Sclerosis. Our highly trained team of physicians, therapists, and staff work seamlessly together with to develop treatment plans and monitor your progress. 

Neuro-Intensive Care

Brain injury and neurological disorders can be life-threatening or disabling without timely intervention and effective care. The DHR Health Neuroscience Institute is home to a fully-equipped and staffed neuro-intensive care unit (Neuro ICU). Our 8-bed Neuro ICU provides the highest level of care for acute stroke patients and those patients with difficult neurological cases, such as brain and spinal cord injury, life-threatening brain infections, and persistent seizures. Our Neuro ICU is equipped with the most advanced technology and imaging systems, which allows physicians to provide high-precision care. After a thorough diagnostic evaluation, careful monitoring and innovative treatment techniques help ensure the best possible outcome for each patient.

Neurocritical Care

When a serious neurological illness or injury occurs, we have the expert team to provide effective treatment and caring support. Our neurocritical care team is specially trained to diagnose and manage complex neurological conditions such as stroke, brain tumors, brain trauma, and nerve and muscle diseases. DHR Health has an 8-bed neurosurgical intensive care unit to provide around the clock care for patients with life-threatening conditions.

Neurodevelopmental Disorder

Neurodevelopmental disorders have the potential to impact cognitive, behavioral, and daily functioning. Neuropsychological testing is helpful in evaluating and diagnosing a variety of neurodevelopmental conditions such as learning disabilities, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), or autism spectrum disorders.

Neuroendovascular Surgery

At the DHR Health Neuroscience Institute, high-precision neuroendovascular surgical care is provided for acute stroke intervention, angioplasty and stenting, embolization procedures, and sclerotherapy. Rather than using open surgery, neuroendovascular surgery uses tools and techniques that pass through the blood vessels to diagnose and treat problems of the brain and nervous system.

Neuroendovascular Surgery

The term endovascular means “inside a blood vessel.” Rather than using open surgery, neuroendovascular surgery uses tools and techniques that pass through the blood vessels to diagnose and treat problems of the brain and nervous system. During a neuroendovascular surgical procedure, an interventional neuroradiologist navigates a microcatheter through the vascular system using state-of-the-art equipment and radiology imaging. At the DHR Health Neuroscience Institute, high-precision neuroendovascular surgical care is provided for acute stroke intervention, angioplasty and stenting, embolization procedures, and sclerotherapy.

Neurohospitalist

The DHR Health Neuroscience Institute provides specialized neurological care for patients in the hospital through our Neurohospitalist program. Our medical team provides diagnostic evaluation and treatment for a variety of illnesses and injuries, including stroke, trauma and critical care, epilepsy, brain cancers, seizure disorders, central nervous system infections, neuromuscular diseases, and more. Neurological care is available to patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Neurological Rehabilitation

Neurological rehabilitation helps improve function, reduce symptoms, and improve quality of life for people with diseases, trauma, or disorders of the nervous system. Depending on the person's unique situation, rehabilitation can be provided on an inpatient or outpatient basis. The goal of neurological rehabilitation is to help you return to the highest level of function and independence possible. We aim to meet your physical, emotional, and social needs to improve your quality of life.

Neurology

We specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. With an integrated approach to evaluation and disease management, our highly trained physicians use advanced techniques and technology to treat even the most complex neurological conditions.

Neuropathy

Neuropathy occurs when the nerves that carry messages to and from your brain are affected, causing weakness, pain, or numbness. Neuropathy usually happens in your hands and feet.

Neuropsychology

Neuropsychology assessment provides unique and critical information in the diagnosis, staging, and management of patients who have had changes in their cognitive function (ability to think), personality, behavior, and/or mood. We provide neuropsychological services for patients who present with cognitive changes due to a variety of neurological, medical, psychiatric, or neurodevelopmental conditions. Neuropsychological services are provided in English and Spanish.

Neurosurgery- Adult & Pediatric

When you or a loved one is diagnosed with a disease or injury involving the brain, spinal cord, spine, skull or neurovascular system, you need care from experts you can trust. We are dedicated to providing excellence in neurosurgical care to our patients, both adult and pediatric. Taking a team-based approached to care – with the patient as the most important person on the team – our experts provide the most advanced, quality care available in the Rio Grande Valley.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease is a progressive disease that affects movement. The nerve cells that produce dopamine are affected, causing tremors and other symptoms.

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation

During peripheral nerve stimulation electrodes are placed along the course of peripheral nerves to control pain. This is a safe, efficient, and effective method for relieving neuropathic pain conditions.

Psychological Distress

Many psychological conditions have the potential to impact cognitive functioning. Neuropsychological testing is helpful in evaluating and diagnosing psychological conditions as well as making recommendations for potential interventions. Neuropsychological testing is also helpful in ruling out neurological etiologies for reported cognitive complaints, which may be better explained by psychological or other non-neurological factors.

Spine Program National Recognition

DHR Health is the first in the Rio Grande Valley and only facility south of Houston to receive Blue Distinction Center+ and joins 10 other hospitals across the state of Texas as an elite group of hospitals that can provide this highly-specialized care. Hospitals designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ for Spine Surgery are recognized for their expertise and cost efficiency in delivering specialty care. Additionally, the designation recognizes DHR Health’s Spine Surgery Center for demonstrating expertise in cervical and lumbar fusion, cervical laminectomy and lumbar laminectomy/discectomy procedures. Distinction Centers for Spine Surgery provide patients comprehensive inpatient spine surgery services, including discectomy, fusion and decompression procedures. These centers have lower readmission rates and fewer reoperations. Click to learn more.

Spine Surgery

Spinal cord problems can cause pain, restrict mobility, and degrade the quality of life. These problems can result from a spinal cord injury or a deformity, such as scoliosis, or degenerative changes associated with aging. Using both traditional and advanced minimally invasive spine surgery, treatment is provided for the spectrum of back problems. Our specially trained physicians treat spine conditions with care and precision.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Stereotactic radiosurgery uses targeted radiation to effectively kill a tumor or destroy a lesion in the brain or neck. This noninvasive procedure uses image-guided radiation beams to target affected areas with minimal impact on the surrounding healthy tissue.

Stroke Treatment

When it comes to stroke management and care, the DHR Health Neuroscience Institute is the Rio Grande Valley’s premier treatment center. As the first Joint Commission Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region, we are the leading stroke care team and your choice for neurology and neuroendovascular services. With a dedicated neurological intensive care unit, we are equipped to handle the most complex cases with the highest level of care. Our team of highly specialized healthcare professionals provides the most extensive stroke treatment services in South Texas.

For more information and available resources, click here.

For more information about DHR Stroke Program quality, click here.

Syncope

Syncope is most commonly known as fainting. This occurs when there is a decrease in blood flow to the brain and the person loses consciousness.

Tics, Tremor and Abnormal Movements

A tic is a sudden movement that is difficult to control. Other abnormal movements are twitching, spasm, or tremors. Consult with your neurologist if you are experiencing symptoms of an abnormal movement.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injuries occur across all ages, but at higher rates in younger and older individuals. It is common for patients to experience changes in their cognitive functioning and mood following a traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychological testing is beneficial in identifying strengths and weakness after a head injury. They are often used as part of the patient’s rehabilitation treatment program. In addition, follow-up testing is helpful to monitor progress in the patient’s cognitive functioning over time.

Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia is characterized by significant impairments in cognitive functioning that is attributed to a vascular etiology such as a stroke or microvascular disease. Common cognitive impairments seen in vascular dementia include attention, ability to process information in a timely manner, visual perception, ability to organize and construct visual information, multi-tasking, problem-solving, and memory. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are also common in vascular dementia.

Vertigo

If you are experiencing dizzy spells and a spinning sensation, you may have vertigo. Vertigo can occur for many reasons, including era problems, brain problems, migraines, or head injury.