Clinical Programs


Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, and Memory Loss
Problems with memory loss, disorientation, judgment or personality that affects ones job or lifestyle, difficulty performing familiar tasks, or problems with language abilities may indicate the development of Alzheimer Disease or other memory disorder or dementia. At The University of Chicago Medical Center's Center for Comprehensive Care and Research on Memory Disorders (The Memory Center) a committed team of highly trained neurologists, geriatricians, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, social workers, and specialized nurses provides a thorough evaluation for accurate diagnosis and management of problems associated with dementia and other behavior disorders.

To learn more about The Memory Center, how to make an appointment, and learn about other resources available for the diagnosis and treatment of memory disorders, please visit The Memory Center website.



Ataxia
Progressive impairment of balance and muscular coordination resulting in falls, tremors, dropping things and slurred speech may indicate the development of one of more than thirty different forms of spinocerebellar ataxia. Patients with ataxia due to degeneration of the cerebellum and related areas of the nervous system experience a wide array of clinical problems and challenges to daily living. The University of Chicago Medical Center Ataxia Clinic combines more than 15 years experience with a multidisciplinary approach to the genetic diagnosis, interpretation, and management of the challenges associated with progressive ataxia, balance and gait disorders.

Click here to visit The University of Chicago Medical Center Ataxia Center website.



Brain Tumors / Neuro-Oncology
Brain tumors can produce symptoms that are similar to other neurologic disorders, so accurate diagnosis by a trained physician is critical. An abnormal mass or growth in or around the brain may be a brain tumor and may be life-threatening. The University of Chicago Medical Center neuro-oncologists (specialists in cancerous brain tumors) work closely with neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists to treat primary brain tumors and spinal cord tumors in adults and children.

Neuro-oncologists at The University of Chicago Medical Center are actively involved in the treatment and research of primary brain tumors (tumors that originate in the brain or spinal cord), brain metastases (tumors from other parts of the body that spread to the brain), leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (spread of cancer to the cerebral spinal fluid), paraneoplastic disorders (cancer elsewhere in the body causing neurological symptoms), as well as the neurologic complications of cancer therapies. For more information or to schedule an appointment contact Jean Arzbaecher APN at 773-702-9026.

M. Kelly Nicholas MD PhD
Rimas Lukas MD



Headaches and Migraines
Headaches may be caused by conditions ranging from brain tumors to depressive illness, but are most commonly manifestations of migraines. The University of Chicago Medical Center Headache Clinic neurologists provide expert diagnosis, referral and treatment using a range of preventative and therapeutic approaches for migraine headaches including acute, chronic and cluster headaches.



Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) typically causes transient flare-ups of neurological symptoms. These symptoms vary greatly in type, frequency, and severity, but commonly include:
  • Weakness
  • Tingling or loss of sensation
  • Poor coordination
  • Double vision or blurred vision
  • Problems with bowel, bladder, and sexual function
Occasionally, MS causes progressive leg weakness and spasticity, and bladder problems. The University of Chicago Medical Center neurologists have a long and distinguished record of clinical care, basic research, and clinical trial expertise in MS. MS Clinic appointments can be made with Barry Arnason MD, Adil Javed MD, Avertano Noronha MD, and Anthony Reder MD five days a week.

The websites below offer additional information relating to MS:


Neuromuscular Disorders
Progressive or intermittent problems with the nerves or muscles in the trunk and limbs leading to significant weakness may be due to one of many neuromuscular disorders cared for at The University of Chicago Medical Center Neuromuscular Clinic.

The Neuromuscular Team provides state-of-the-art patient care and conducts laboratory testing, clinical trials / studies, research and teaching activities. For additional information please visit our Neuromuscular Disorders page.



Neurosciences Critical Care
The University of Chicago has one of the most reputable neurocritical care programs in the world, staffed with full-time physicians who are leaders in the field. This clinical program is foundational for both Neurology and Neurosurgery, and it allows the physicians at the University of Chicago to accept patients from near and far with the most extreme neurological and neurosurgical problems with the most contemporary management. In addition, the physicians of this program are at the forefront of their field – as clinicians, educators, and researchers. In addition to our well-known 2 year fellowship program in neurocritical care, we have visitors from all over the world who have an interest in learning how to better care for these patients. While delivery of care to the critically ill neurological and neurosurgical patients mainly happens within the dedicated Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, the program is involved with the management of critically ill patients (adults and children) with neurological complications in other critical care environments. Some of the illnesses of focus include:

  • Intracerebral hemorrhage
  • Subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • Acute ischemic stroke interventions and thrombolytic therapy
  • Stroke related cerebral edema (hemispheric and cerebellar)
  • Cerebral edema
  • Intracranial hypertension
  • Brain death
  • Cerebral aneurysms
  • Arteriovenous malformations
  • Status epilepticus
  • Coma
  • Metabolic encephalopathies
  • Guillain-Barre syndrome
  • Myasthenia gravis crisis
  • Neurological prognostication
The physicians and fellows who comprise this program are available around the clock to their established patients and to receive referrals for transfer. If you wish to acutely transfer a patient to this program, please call (773) 702-6800 and ask to page the NeuroICU Fellow or Attending at pager number 6228.

For more information please visit the NeuroCritical Care Program page.



Parkinson Disease / Movement Disorders
Tremor, slowness of movement, stooped posture and falling may indicate a problem with Parkinson Disease or a related movement disorder. The Center for Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders at The University of Chicago Medical Center combines multidisciplinary clinical expertise with state-of-the-art therapies and groundbreaking research.

Please click here to make an appointment. For additional information please visit The Center for Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders - additional links page.



Peripheral Neuropathy
Numbness, prickling or tingling in the toes or fingers, possibly spreading up to the feet or hands and causing burning, freezing, throbbing and/or shooting pain, tripping on feet or weak grip may be signs of peripheral neuropathy. Diabetes is the leading cause of peripheral neuropathy, but peripheral neuropathy is often a complication of other disorders, including:
  • Viral or bacterial infections such as shingles, Lyme disease, and HIV/AIDS
  • Autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease and Guillain-Barre syndrome
  • Genetic disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
  • Vitamin deficiencies
  • Alcoholism
  • Physical trauma
  • Exposure to toxic chemicals or certain medications, especially those used to treat cancer and HIV/AIDS.
In some cases, especially for people over the age of sixty, no cause can be determined, even after extensive testing.

The Jack Miller Center for Peripheral Neuropathy at The University of Chicago Medical Center is committed to educating the public and healthcare providers about this disease, providing state-of-the-art care to patients affected by peripheral neuropathy, and contributing to basic and clinical research in an effort to identify the causes and potential cures for these disorders. The Jack Miller Center for Peripheral Neuropathy Clinic provides an evaluation of patients and recommendations with respect to the management of the neuropathy. In some cases, a clinical treatment trial may be available.

You can schedule an appointment with the neurology specialists of The Jack Miller Center for Peripheral Neuropathy by calling (773) 702-5971 or by sending an email.



Seizures / Epilepsy
Loss of contact, unresponsiveness, or unconsciousness lasting seconds to a few minutes with or without a convulsion (body and limb rigidity or shaking) are typical manifestations of a seizure. Epilepsy is a brain disorder of chronic, recurrent seizures. The Adult Epilepsy Center at The University of Chicago Medical Center is a nationally-recognized referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of seizure disorders in patients 12 years of age and older. Our epilepsy monitoring unit is one of the most scientifically advanced in the county. The University of Chicago Medical Center epileptologists specialize in caring for patients whose seizures are difficult to control, and they offer a full range of individualized treatment options from the newest medications to various types of surgery.



Sleep Disorders
Disturbed sleep can be a periodic annoyance, or can be chronic and disabling, affecting children or adults of all ages. The Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Center at The University of Chicago Medical Center, accredited by the American Sleep Disorders Association since 1982, is staffed by neurologists and pulmonolgists and technical staff specializing in sleep disorders.



Stroke / Cerebrovascular Disorders
Stroke, a sudden insult to a focal area of the brain due to blockage or rupture of a brain blood vessel, is one of the leading causes of death and disability among adults in the U.S. Strokes can be caused by blood clots traveling through the bloodstream or atherosclerosis blocking an artery supplying the brain, damage or rupture of a cerebral artery, aneurysms or arterial venous malformation, or other factors. Typical symptoms include paralysis on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, or sudden confusion or coma, but a wide variety of symptoms can herald a stroke. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can be life saving. If a new stroke is suspected, it is a medical emergency and 911 should be called.

The University of Chicago has a large multi-disciplinary group of specialists dedicated to the diagnosis and management of ischemic (low blood flow) and hemorrhagic (blood vessel rupture) stroke. In addition, our world class neurocritical care program allows care for the sickest of stroke patients. Our uniquely collegial cross-departmental medical team includes vascular neurologists, neurocritical care physicians, endovascular specialists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and emergency physicians. In addition, there is a rich collaborative spirit with our colleagues in vascular surgery and cardiology. Our investment in stroke is not isolated to adults, as we have a strong interest in enhancing the management and outcome of children with stroke and/or high stroke risk. The University of Chicago is a Certified Stroke Center, and, when appropriate, we are able to offer all of the contemporary treatments to limit brain damage from stroke including new minimally invasive tools for opening up narrowed vessels. While ischemic stroke is the most common stroke type, the management of brain hemorrhages including intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intraventricular hemorrhage are handled with unique expertise.The University of Chicago physicians involved with stroke are highly committed to their clinical work and around-the-clock availability for this common, disabling, and life-threatening problem. However, they are also at the forefront of their field through active involvement in scholarly projects relevant to advancing the understanding and treatment of stroke (refer to Research sections on Cerebrovascular Diseases and Neurocritical Care).The key departmental clinical team dedicated to stroke includes:

Jeffrey Frank MD, Director, Neuroscience Critical Care and Stroke

James Brorson MD, Medical Director, Stroke Center

Fernando Goldenberg MD, Co-Director, Stroke Center

Christi Kordeck RN, Stroke Team Coordinator and Educator at (773) 834-4604

Cedric McKoy MSN APN, Neuro ICU Nurse Practitioner and Stroke Center Coordinator at (773) 834-7854

Judith Maratea, Administrative Assistant and Project Coordinator, Stroke Center

Referral of patients with any acute (ischemic or hemorrhagic) stroke, including those who may need interventional or surgical procedures, can be made by calling (773) 702-6800 and ask for the neurology resident on call.Referral for outpatient evaluation can be made by contacting Dr Jim Brorson at (773) 702-9439 or page by calling (773) 215-0797. For additional information please visit our Stroke Page or call Christi at: (773) 834-4604.

For additional information please visit our Stroke page or call: