Page Content
A neurology consultant uses a reflex hammer to test the knee reflex of a patient.

Department and Faculty

The Department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic is a highly integrated, collaborative department of adult and pediatric neurologists who specialize in the research, diagnosis and treatment of over 500 conditions and diseases affecting the nervous system.

More than 80 specialists provide both one-time evaluation and continuing care for patients with neurologic disease. Close collaboration with specialists in pain medicine, neurosurgery, neuroradiology, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, ENT, internal medicine, pediatric and adolescent medicine, sleep medicine, speech pathology and numerous other disciplines provides Mayo Clinic patients with unparalleled comprehensive care.

Specialists in the Headache Division evaluate patients with head and face pain. If needed, additional testing and consultations are obtained to help determine if there is an underlying cause for the pain. When appropriate, therapy is initiated.

Each consultant has considerable experience in evaluating and treating patients with complex neurological disorders, and each has individual clinical and research interests and expertise.

Mayo Clinic has a very sophisticated, well-developed, electronic medical record system. The system, which covers both inpatient and outpatient medical interactions, is integrated throughout all Mayo campuses and facilities. It allows for rapid retrieval of all clinical, laboratory and imaging studies for patients. A robust department intranet site provides ready access to extensive online resources for neurological education.

The staff has collectively published hundreds of manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and contributed towards many well-known books.

Specific expertise of members of the staff and the reputation of Mayo Clinic leads to a high volume practice with a high proportion of patients with complex and challenging medical problems. The experience of the staff, coupled with the high-quality, integrated and efficient practices of all clinical and laboratory specialties, makes Mayo Clinic one of the finest clinical practices of medicine in the world.

Advisers

You will be assigned a faculty adviser who can provide comprehensive educational advice and personal support. The adviser also serves as a contact point, introducing you and your family to Mayo Clinic and the communities in which you will train.

Visiting professors 

Many prominent professors visit Mayo Clinic each year. They present their work during morning and late afternoon lectures. Residents and fellows are encouraged to take full advantage of these opportunities to interact with experts from other academic centers and are relieved from clinical assignments to do so.

Faculty

Narayan Kissoon, MD

Narayan Kissoon, MD

Assistant Professor

Medical School: University of Minnesota Medical School

Residency: Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Fellowship: Headache medicine, pain medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Interests:

  • Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (e.g. cluster headache, SUNCT, and hemicrania continua)
  • Cervicogenic headache
  • Primary headache disorders
  • Cervical spondylosis + radiculopathy
  • Interventional headache management (e.g. sphenopalatine ganglion blocks, trigeminal gasserian ganglion blocks, atlantoaxial joint injections, and peripheral nerve blocks)
  • Ultrasound and x-ray guided injections
  • Neuromodulation

View full profile

Show more
Chia-Chung Chiang, M.D.

Chia-Chung Chiang, M.D.

Associate Professor

Medical School: National Yang-Ming University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan

Residency: Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Fellowship: Headache medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Interests:

  • The association between headache and cerebrovascular disorders
  • Migraine with and without aura
  • Moyamoya disease
  • Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome
  • Cervical artery dissection
  • Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
  • Women's health

 View full profile

Show more
Michael M. Cutrer, M.D.

Michael M. Cutrer, M.D.

Professor

Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine

Residency: Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles

Fellowship: Research fellowship, the Stroke Research Lab-Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital

Interests:

  • Headache
  • Migraine
  • Cluster headaches
  • Pathophysiological mechanisms, genetics and treatment of primary headache disorders

View full profile

Show more
Ivan Garza, M.D.

Ivan Garza, M.D.

Associate Professor

Medical School: Universidad de Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico

Residency: Neurology, Cleveland Clinic

Fellowship: Headache medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Interests:

  • Headache
  • Cranial neuralgias
  • Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks
  • Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH)

View full profile

Show more
Ann Murray, M.D.

Ann Murray, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Medical School: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

Residency: Child and adolescent neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Fellowship: Headache and sleep medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Interests:

  • Pediatric migraine and other primary headache disorders
  • Pediatric sleep disorders
  • Botox injections and nerve blocks to treat headaches

View full profile

Show more
Beth Robertson, M.D.

Beth Robertson, M.D.

Associate Professor

Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch

Residency:  Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Fellowship: Headache medicine, neuromuscular disorders-nerve, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, 

Interests:

  • Visual Snow Syndrome
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Glossopharyngeal neuralgia
  • Cluster headaches
  • Migraines
  • Nerve Blocks
  • Botox injections

View full profile

 

Show more
Stephanie Steel, M.D.

Stephanie Steel, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Medical School:  Indiana University School of Medicine

Residency: Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Fellowship: Headache medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Interests:

  • General neurology
  • Neurology — primary care collaboration

View full profile

Show more
Jennifer Stern, M.D.

Jennifer Stern, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Medical School: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Residency: Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Fellowship: Neurophysiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Interests:

  • Headache disorders
  • Facial pain disorders
  • Spine disorders
  • General neurology

View full profile

Show more
Mark Whealy, M.D.

Mark Whealy, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences School of Medicine

Residency: Neurology, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Fellowship: Headache medicine, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Interests:

  • Evaluation and management of complex headache and facial pain disorders
  • Performing nerve blocks and botulinus toxin injections

View full profile

Show more

Our headache team

aculty and staff in the Headache Division of the Department of Neurology in Rochester pose together.