Naoum Issa, MD, PhD is a neurologist specializing in the treatment of epilepsy. He works closely with patients to control their seizures and is passionate about offering advanced options for epilepsy that is resistant to anti-seizure medications.
Dr. Issa is the director of epilepsy research and the section chief of clinical neurophysiology at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on detecting and diagnosing neurologic disorders using painless, electrophysiological techniques. He and his co-workers are developing ways to identify seizure footprints in deep brain structures without having to implant electrodes. Through collaborations with neuromuscular specialists, he is applying some of the same techniques used for seizure diagnosis to detect other neurological disorders like ALS.
Dr. Issa has published over 75 scientific papers and book chapters and is a reviewer for multiple neurology and neuroscience journals. His work has appeared in journals such as Neurology, Epilepsia, Journal of Neuroscience, Nature Protocols, and Neuron.
Dr. Issa has taught extensively at the Pritzker School of Medicine and has been recognized for excellence in teaching with the L.D.H. Wood Preclerkship Teaching Award, the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award, an A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award from the American Academy of Neurology, and he was a faculty honoree of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society for clinical teaching.
University of Chicago
Chicago
- Epilepsy (CNP) Fellowship
2016
University of Chicago
Chicago
- Neurology Residency
2015
University of Chicago
NorthShore
- Internship (Medicine)
2012
University of California
San Francisco
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Physiology
2001
University of Texas -- Southwestern
Dallas
MD - Medicine
1997
University of Texas -- Southwestern
Dallas
PhD - Neuroscience
1997
Southern Methodist University
Dallas
BS, BA - Chemistry, Biology
1989
Added load increases the peak frequency of intermuscular coherence.
Added load increases the peak frequency of intermuscular coherence. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2024 Mar 31; 76:102881.
PMID: 38574588
Novel EEG Metric Correlates with Intracranial Pressure in an Animal Model.
Novel EEG Metric Correlates with Intracranial Pressure in an Animal Model. Neurocrit Care. 2023 Nov 08.
PMID: 37940837
Interstitial laser ablation for epilepsy: beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
Interstitial laser ablation for epilepsy: beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2023 12; 94(12):973-974.
PMID: 37852745
Intermuscular Coherence in Spinocerebellar Ataxias 3 and 6: a Preliminary Study.
Intermuscular Coherence in Spinocerebellar Ataxias 3 and 6: a Preliminary Study. Cerebellum. 2024 Apr; 23(2):601-608.
PMID: 37428409
Ambulatory Local Field Potential Recordings from the Thalamus in Epilepsy: A Feasibility Study.
Ambulatory Local Field Potential Recordings from the Thalamus in Epilepsy: A Feasibility Study. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 2023; 101(3):195-206.
PMID: 37232010
Seizure onset patterns predict outcome after stereo-electroencephalography-guided laser amygdalohippocampotomy.
Seizure onset patterns predict outcome after stereo-electroencephalography-guided laser amygdalohippocampotomy. Epilepsia. 2023 06; 64(6):1568-1581.
PMID: 37013668
Intermuscular coherence in spinocerebellar ataxias 3 and 6: a preliminary study.
Intermuscular coherence in spinocerebellar ataxias 3 and 6: a preliminary study. Res Sq. 2023 Apr 17.
PMID: 37131794
Putative roles for homeostatic plasticity in epileptogenesis.
Putative roles for homeostatic plasticity in epileptogenesis. Epilepsia. 2023 03; 64(3):539-552.
PMID: 36617338
99m Technetium-pyrophosphate bone scan: A potential biomarker for the burden of transthyretin amyloidosis in skeletal muscle: A preliminary study.
99m Technetium-pyrophosphate bone scan: A potential biomarker for the burden of transthyretin amyloidosis in skeletal muscle: A preliminary study. Muscle Nerve. 2023 Feb; 67(2):111-116.
PMID: 36222831
Electrophysiological markers of memory consolidation in the human brain when memories are reactivated during sleep.
Electrophysiological markers of memory consolidation in the human brain when memories are reactivated during sleep. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 11; 119(44):e2123430119.
PMID: 36279460
A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award
American Academy of Neurology
2021
L.D.H. Wood Preclerkship Teaching Award – Pritzker School of Medicine
University of Chicago
2019
Faculty Honoree; Alpha Omega Alpha – Beta Chapter, Class of 2019
University of Chicago
2018
American Epilepsy Association EpiPORT Fellowship
American Epilepsy Society
2015 - 2016
Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award
University of Chicago
2015
Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow
University of Chicago
2003 - 2005