Dennis Spencer, MD
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
Dr. Spencer's research has brought together basic scientists and clinicians around a program concerning energetics, glutamate metabolism and the neurobiological study of human epileptogenic tissue. Study techniques include 4T MRS, C13 intraoperative glucose turnover studies, and in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology and microdialysis, immunohistochemistry, confocal and EM microscopy, and molecular biology. In particular, laboratory discoveries are correlated with the epileptogenic substrate in order to help define human epilepsy pathogenesis and potential therapies.Recently his research centers around a team effort with Hitten Zaveri of Neurology and Mark Reed of Engineering designing the next generation of multimodal, neurochemistry probes for Brain injury, vascular disease and epilepsy. With Dr Zaveri he pursues wireless transmission of intracranial signals and cooling of the brain. With Tore End of laboratory medicine he studies cerebral metabolism and with Pue Farooque of Neurology, cerebral networks associated with epilepsy.
Specialized Terms: Cerebral metabolic abnormalities that sustain epileptogenesis using MR spectroscopy, Microdialysis, and human tissue studies
Coauthors
Research Interests
Electrophysiology; Epilepsy; Immunohistochemistry; Microscopy, Electron; Molecular Biology; Neurobiology; Neurosurgery; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Pituitary Neoplasms; Microdialysis; Microscopy, Confocal
Selected Publications
- Increased expression of phosphate-activated glutaminase in hippocampal neurons in human mesial temporal lobe epilepsyEid T, Hammer J, Rundén-Pran E, Roberg B, Thomas MJ, Osen K, Davanger S, Laake P, Torgner IA, Lee TS, Kim JH, Spencer DD, Ottersen OP, de Lanerolle NC. Increased expression of phosphate-activated glutaminase in hippocampal neurons in human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Acta Neuropathologica 2006, 113: 137-152. PMID: 17115168, DOI: 10.1007/s00401-006-0158-5.
- Differential Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GDH) Activity Profile in Patients with Temporal Lobe EpilepsyMalthankar‐Phatak G, De Lanerolle N, Eid T, Spencer DD, Behar KL, Spencer SS, Kim JH, Lai JC. Differential Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GDH) Activity Profile in Patients with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Epilepsia 2006, 47: 1292-1299. PMID: 16922873, DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00543.x.
- Nonrigid 3D Brain Registration Using Intensity/Feature InformationDeLorenzo C, Papademetris X, Wu K, Vives KP, Spencer D, Duncan JS. Nonrigid 3D Brain Registration Using Intensity/Feature Information. 2006, 9: 932-939. PMID: 17354980, PMCID: PMC2864121, DOI: 10.1007/11866565_114.
Clinical Trials
Conditions | Study Title |
---|---|
Diseases of the Nervous System; Mental Health & Behavioral Research | Human Epilepsy Project 3: Newly Diagnosed Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy |
Diseases of the Nervous System; Mental Health & Behavioral Research | SV2A PET Imaging in Healthy Subjects and Epilepsy Patients |