About
Titles
Associate Professor of Neurology
Biography
My areas of interest are neurophysiology and chronic pain. I have a background studying electrophysiology of peripheral nerves in both human and rodent subjects. In the basic science setting, I worked on the development of novel local anesthetics as well as new pain protocols. More recently, I have carried out several VA based protocols with botulinum toxins and its beneficial effects. My team and I are working on new approaches to analyzing chronic pain including thermography and surface electrodes.
Appointments
Neurology
Associate Professor on TermPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Clinical Neurophysiology
- Yale School of Medicine (1998)
- Neurology residency
- Yale School of Medicine (1997)
- MD
- George Washington University (1993)
Research
Overview
1. The effect of botulinum toxins on chronic myofascial pain syndromes. We are actively enrolling in one study looking at the benefits of botulinum toxins for individuals with chronic neck or chronic back pain. The concept behind the use of botulinum toxins in subjects with chronic myofascial pain is based a belief that a significant part of the pain is due to unregulated muscular activity in the setting of mechanical injury.
2. The development of novel pain scores for tracking chronic pain conditions. We are developing several new pathways of pain scoring that may better predict outcomes in new treatment possibilities.
3. The clinical uses of infrared thermography in diagnosing and assessing severity of nerve or muscle injuries.
Medical Research Interests
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Betsy Schulman, PhD
Mark Estacion, PhD
Masanori Sasaki, MD, PhD
Stephen Waxman, MD, PhD
Sulayman Dib-Hajj, PhD
Publications
2018
Pharmacotherapy for Pain in a Family with Inherited Erythromelalgia Guided by Genomic Analysis and Functional Profiling
Geha P, Yang Y, Estacion M, Schulman B, Tokuno H, Apkarian A, Dib-Hajj S, Waxman S. Pharmacotherapy for Pain in a Family with Inherited Erythromelalgia Guided by Genomic Analysis and Functional Profiling. 2018, 275-288. DOI: 10.7551/mitpress/10310.003.0031.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2006
Molecular Reconstruction of Nodes of Ranvier after Remyelination by Transplanted Olfactory Ensheathing Cells in the Demyelinated Spinal Cord
Sasaki M, Black JA, Lankford KL, Tokuno HA, Waxman SG, Kocsis JD. Molecular Reconstruction of Nodes of Ranvier after Remyelination by Transplanted Olfactory Ensheathing Cells in the Demyelinated Spinal Cord. Journal Of Neuroscience 2006, 26: 1803-1812. PMID: 16467529, PMCID: PMC2605396, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3611-05.2006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsDemyelinated spinal cordSpecific membrane domainsSpinal cordVoltage-gated ion channelsGreen fluorescent proteinTransplanted Olfactory Ensheathing CellsMature NodalMembrane domainsSpinal cord demyelinationOlfactory Ensheathing CellsVivo electrophysiological recordingsFluorescent proteinJuxtaparanodal domainsMolecular reconstructionIon channelsMature nodesRemyelinated axonsExtensive remyelinationUninjured axonsKv channelsDemyelinated axonsDonor ratsCentral axonsGlial cellsJuxtaparanodal region
2004
Local anesthetic effects of cocaethylene and isopropylcocaine on rat peripheral nerves
Tokuno HA, Bradberry CW, Everill B, Agulian SK, Wilkes S, Baldwin RM, Tamagnan GD, Kocsis JD. Local anesthetic effects of cocaethylene and isopropylcocaine on rat peripheral nerves. Brain Research 2004, 996: 159-167. PMID: 14697493, DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2003.10.024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAgonist substitution therapyLocal anesthetic propertiesCompound action potentialSubstitution therapyDorsal rootsAnesthetic propertiesCocaine rewardDorsal root ganglion neuronsSucrose gap chamberUse-dependent blockadeRat peripheral nerveLocal anesthetic effectRat sciatic nerveDopamine uptake inhibitorPotential pharmacological toolsPatch-clamp studiesCAP amplitudeGanglion neuronsSciatic nervePeripheral nervesClinical studiesTreatment candidatesClamp studiesStimulus trainsImpulse blockade
News & Links
Media
- The patient in this false color image has a foot drop on the right side due to a peroneal nerve injury (confirmed by EMG). The left leg (seen here on the right of the photo) shows a bright signal due to the normal heat output from an intact tibialis anterior muscle.