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PLAY VIDEO: Dr. Daniel O. Lee, Kentucky Neuroscience Institute Medical Director, explains how he found a solution to cure a case of encephalitis, a swelling in the brain, caused by COVID-19

Shelby Ponder thought her bout with COVID-19 was nothing to write home about: her mild, strep-like symptoms cleared up in a few days.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 11, 2021) — At age 13, Robert Baumann began working at a children’s camp owned by his family, shaping his desire to find a career in which he could help children. “I also thought the brain and neurology were just fascinating. So, it turned out to be the only logical combination.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 8, 2021) — Dr. Larry Goldstein, chair of the University of Kentucky’s Department of Neurology, defends and elaborates on a recent statement by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPTF) in an editorial recently published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The USPTF statement reaffirmed its 2014 recommendation against screening for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis in the general adult population.

Ima Ebong, MD, MS, assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Neurology, was recently named one of “1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America” in a list published by Cell Mentor, an online resource for researchers.

The list, compiled by The Community of Scholars, recognizes the significant contributions Black scientists have made in research.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 20, 2021) — More than 5.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is projected to triple by 2050. Despite that growing number, there is not yet a cure.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 4, 2020) –  In America, 3.5 million people have epilepsy. Approximately one in 26 people in the United States will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime. In Kentucky, more than 2% of the population is living with this neurologic condition characterized by unpredictable seizures.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 10, 2020) — Most of us have heard the phrase that some stress is good. Timothy Ainger, Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Neurology, says the word ‘some’ is key. Ainger specializes in neuropsychology which is the brain-behavior relationship. He says it is true that a small to moderate amount of stress or pressure does help a person focus and perform at their best.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 14, 2020) - A time for action.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 26, 2020) — The COVID-19 pandemic, with reported cases in more than 200 countries, is a worldwide crisis challenging all aspects of health care systems around the globe. Managing the pandemic has required some drastic changes and allocation of resources. This is affecting the delivery of care for health conditions that can be unrelated to COVID-19. Experts in various fields across health care are working to adjust to the changes to ensure they provide the best care during this time while also protecting themselves and their colleagues.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disorder in young adults but getting an accurate diagnosis can be tricky. The diagnosis is difficult as there is not one single test that can determine if someone has the disease.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A disturbing trend has been noticed by several doctors in a handful of hospitals in America. Otherwise healthy men in the 20-50 age range, with little to no COVID-19 symptoms, are landing in the emergency room after suffering a stroke. Some of these victims fall into a category of least-likely-to-suffer-a stroke, with most happening in those who are well below the median age for sustaining such a medical episode.

“Anybody, from babies to folks in their very elderly years,” Dr. Larry Goldstein said of the risk of suffering a stroke.

Timothy Ainger, PhD, had just completed a 10-hour clinic day when he pulled out his cellphone to check his messages. There were 74 in total, which was pretty typical because he was involved in group chats with his pals, as well as a Fantasy Football league. However, amid those messages were 14 notifications from his wife, Jan.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 19, 2020) — The Smith family was adjusting to their new life as a family of five when they got a phone call about their newest member. After only a week and a half of having their son safely in their arms, Chris and Heather Smith were told to get to UK HealthCare’s Emergency Department, as soon as possible. "We dropped everything and left 20 minutes later," said Heather Smith. The drive to Lexington was a long one - filled with fear and uncertainty - taking them more than two hours away from their home in Greenup County.

As a young student who was proficient in science, Dr. Eseosa Ighodaro, always saw herself pursuing a career in medicine. But it wasn’t until applying to medical school that she discovered there was another path she wanted to follow.

University of Kentucky College of Medicine researcher Ann Stowe describes her career path as nontraditional. After earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, Stowe decided to pursue graduate study in biomedical research instead of art history.

Today, the associate professor in UK’s Department of Neurology studies how the brain recovers from stroke. The same passion for creativity that attracted Stowe to studying the arts is what drives her in the laboratory.

Being unable to walk and unable to provide for his family is not the American dream Gregorie Mbuyi imagined when moving his family to Kentucky from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2015.

“I was feeling shocked,” explained Mbuyi with the help of a translator.

Shocked because the pain and discomfort he initially likened to heartburn were aggressively spreading through his abdomen and down his right leg – he lived like this for about two years. The husband and father of five losing the ability to walk on his own, eventually also lost his ability to work.