Neal Prakash, M.D., Ph.D.
An expert in advanced neuroimaging techniques, Neal Prakash, M.D., Ph.D., is City of Hope's chief of the Division of Neurology and director of neuro-optical imaging. Dr. Prakash leads programs for and treats patients with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, headaches and chemobrain. He is heading a program to analyze and treat the long-term neurological effects of cancer patients who also recovered from COVID-19.
Educated at University of California Berkeley and University of California Irvine, Dr. Prakash practiced in Hawaii before arriving at City of Hope in 2011. He regularly appears on a variety of “Top Doctor” lists and was named one of the "Leading Health Professionals in the World for Neurology and Neurosciences."
Dr. Prakash is a past president of the Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics. He publishes frequently and has helped create video animations to illustrate the workings of the brain.
Duarte - Main Campus
Duarte, CA 91010
Neurology
2001, M.D., Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California Irvine College of Medicine
1999, Ph.D., Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine
1992, B.A., Molecular and Cellular Biology (Neurobiology emphasis), University of California Berkeley
2002-2005, Neuro-imaging research/training during residence and hence was promoted from resident to assistant professor at UCLA
2002-2005, Resident, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2001-2002, Intern, Department of Internal Medicine, Barnes Jewish Hospital, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO
2020-present, Clinical Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, City of Hope, Duarte, California
2011-present, Director of Neuro-optical Imaging, City of Hope, Duarte, California
2012-present, Chief, Division of Neurology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2011-2020, Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, City of Hope, Duarte, California
2011-2012, Neurologist/Scientist, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
2009-2011, Neurologist, Neurological Services of Hawaii
2008-2011, Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Honolulu, HI
2007-2009, ProTem Neurologist, Kaiser Permanente, Honolulu, HI
2006-2011, Neurologist, Veterans Affairs Pacific Island Health Care System
2006-2007, Visiting Assistant Professor, Magnetic Resonance Research at University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
2005-2007, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2005-2007, Founding Director of Optical Imaging, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, David Geffen School of Imaging, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2018, Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology
2016-2017, The Leading Physicians of the World, Top Neurologist in Duarte, CA
2016, “Top Doctor,” Los Angeles Magazine, Neurology
2015-2021, “Super Doctor,” Southern California Super Doctors, Neurology
2013-2014, 2016-2017, “Top Doctor,” Pasadena Magazine, Neurology
2013, 2016-2017, The Leading Physicians of the World, Top Neurologist in Duarte, CA.
2013, Super Doctors, Southern California Rising Stars 2013, Neurology
2009-2015, Marquis Who's Who in America: Neurologist and Neuroscientist
2006, Leading Health Professionals in the World, Neurology and Neurosciences
2005, “Finalist,” American Association of the Physicians of Indian Origin, Medical Student, Resident and Fellow Research Competition
2004, UCLA Neurology Resident Jean-Louis Riel Research Award
1999 and 2000, University of California Irvine Vincent P. Carroll, Jr. Memorial Research Award
1988, Physics student of the year, Katella High School, Anaheim CA
American Academy of Neurology
Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics
Society for NeuroOncology
California Neurological Society
Journal Articles
- Chen BT, Ye N, Wong CW, Patel SK, Jin T, Sun CL, Rockne R, Kim H, Root J, Saykin AJ, Ahles T, Holodny A, Prakash N, Mortimer J, Sedrak M, Waisman J, Yuan Y, Li D, Somlo G, Vazquez J, Katheria V, Dale. Effects of chemotherapy on aging white matter microstructure: a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study, Journal of Geriatric Oncology 2019 Nov 1. pii: S1879-4068(19)30166-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jgo.2019.09.016.
- Chen BT, Jin T, Patel SK, Ye N, Sun CL, Ma H, Rockne R, Root J, Saykin AJ, Ahles T, Holodny A, Prakash N, Mortimer J, Waisman J, Yuan Y, Li D, Somlo G, Vazquez J, Levi A, Tan H, Yang R, Katheria V, Dale, W. Intrinsic brain activity changes associated with adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer: a pilot longitudinal study, Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2019, 2019 Jul;176(1):181-189. doi: 10.1007/s10549-019-05230-y. Epub 2019 Apr 13.
- Cristea MC, Frankel P, Synold T, Rivkin S, Lim D, Chung V, Chao J, Wakabayashi M, Paz B, Han E, Lin P, Leong L, Hakim A, Carroll M, Prakash N, Dellinger T, Park M, Morgan RJ. A phase I trial of intraperitoneal nab-paclitaxel in the treatment of advanced malignancies primarily confined to the peritoneal cavity, Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2019 Mar;83(3):589-598. doi: 10.1007/s00280-019-03767-9. Epub 2019 Jan 8.
- Chen BT, Jin T, Patel SK, Ye N, Sun CL, Ma H, Rockne R, Hascke M, Root J, Saykin AJ, Ahles T, Holodny A. Prakash N, Mortimer J, Waisman J, Yuan Y, Li D, Somlo G, Vazquez J, Levi A, Tan H, Yang R, Katheria V, Hurria A. Gray matter density reduction associated with adjuvant chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer, Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2018, Nov;172(2):363-370. doi: 10.1007/s10549-018-4911-y. Epub 2018 Aug 7.
- Chen BT, Ghassaban K, Jin T, Patel SK, Ye N, Sun CL, Kim CL, Rockne R, Hascke M, Root J, Saykin AJ, Ahles T, Holodny A. Prakash N, Mortimer J, Waisman J, Yuan Y, Somlo G, Li D, Yang R, Tan H, Katheria V, Morrison R, Hurria A. Subcortical brain iron deposition and cognitive performance in older women with or without breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy: A pilot MRI study, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 2018, doi.org/10.1016/j.mri.2018.07.016.
- Chen BT, Sethi S, Jin T, Patel SK, Ye N, Sun CL, Rockne R, Hascke M, Root J, Saykin AJ, Ahles T, Holodny A. Prakash N, Mortimer J, Waisman J, Yuan Y, Somlo G, Li D, Yang R, Tan H, Katheria V, Morrison R, Hurria A. Assessing Brain Volume Changes in Older Women with Breast Cancer Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Brain MRI Pilot Study Breast Cancer Research, 2018, 20:38, doi.org/10.1186/s13058-018-0965-3.
- Benjamin R, Zhai J, Morgan R, Prakash N. Trismus and diffuse polymyalgia: An unusual presentation of recurrent metastatic ovarian cancer, BMJ Case Reports, 2014, DOI:10.1136/bcr-2013-203361
- Theriot J, Toga AW, Prakash N, Ju YS, Brennan KC. Cortical sensory plasticity in a model of migraine with aura, Journal of Neuroscience, 32(44):15252-61, 2012.
- Kateb B, Chiu K, Black KL, Yamamoto V, Khalsa B, Ljubimova JY, Ding H, Patil R, Portilla-Arias JA, Modo M, Moore DF, Farahani K, Okun MS, Prakash N, Neman J, Ahdoot D, Grundfest W, Nikzad S, Heiss JD. Nanoplatforms for constructing new approaches to cancer treatment, imaging, and drug delivery: What should be the policy? NeuroImage, 54:S1, S106-24, 2011 (ePub 2010).
- Prakash N, Hageman N, Hua X, Toga AW, Perlman SL, Salamon N. Patterns of fractional anisotropy changes in white matter of cerebellar peduncles distinguish spinocerebellar ataxia-1 from multiple system atrophy and other ataxia syndromes, NeuroImage, 47:T72-81, 2009.
- Sheth S, Prakash N, Guiou M, Toga AW. Validation and Visualization of Two-Dimensional Optical Spectroscopic Imaging of Cerebral Hemodynamics, NeuroImage, 47:T 2009.
- Prakash N, Uhlemann F, Sheth SA, Bookheimer S, Martin N, Toga AW. Current Trends in Intraoperative Optical Imaging for Functional Brain Mapping and Delineation of Lesions of Language Cortex, NeuroImage.47:T116-126, 2009.
- Prakash N, Biag J, Sheth SA, Mitsuyama S, Ramachandran C, Theriot J, Toga AW. Temporal profiles and 2-dimensional oxy-, deoxy-, and total-hemoglobin somatosensory maps in rat versus mouse cortex, NeuroImage, 37:S1, S27-S36, 2007.
- Theriot JJ, Toga AW, Prakash N, Ju SY. Microfabricated electrode array compatible with optical imaging of intrinsic signals during somatosensory stimulation and cortical spreading depression, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Bioengineering Division (Publication) BED 7p, 2006.
- Prakash N. Frostig RD. What has intrinsic signal optical imaging taught us about NGF-induced rapid plasticity in adult cortex and its relationship to the cholinergic system? Molecular Imaging and Biology, 7(1): 14-21, 2005.
- Prakash N, Cohen-Cory S, Penshuck S, Frostig RD. The basal forebrain cholinergic system is involved in rapid nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced plasticity in the barrel cortex of adult rats, Journal of Neurophysiology, 91:424-437, 2004; first published September 24, 2003.
- Penschuck S, Chen-Bee CH, Prakash N, Frostig RD. In vivo modulation of a cortical functional sensory representation shortly after topical cholinergic agent application, Journal of Comparative Neurology,452: 38-50, 2002.
- Prakash N, Vanderhaeghen P, Cohen-Cory S, Frisén J, Flanagan JG, Frostig RD. Functional malformation of the cortical somatosensory map in adult ephrin-A5 knockout mice, Journal of Neuroscience, 20:5841-5847, 2000.
- Chen-Bee C, Polley DB, Brett-Green BB, Prakash N, Kwon MC, Frostig RD. Visualizing and quantifying cortical activity assessed with intrinsic signal imaging, Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 97(2): 157-173, 2000.
- Vanderhaeghen P, Lu Q, Prakash N, Frisén J, Walsh CA, Frostig RD, Flanagan JG. A mapping label required for normal scale of body representation in the cortex, Nature Neuroscience, 3(4): 358-365, 2000.
Book Chapters
- Allahabadi S, Jia C, Prakash N. Chapter 16 “Visible Light Optical imaging and Spectroscopy During Neurosurgery,” Neurophotonics and Brain Mapping (Chen/Kateb - ISBN 9781482236859 - CAT# K23139), April 2017.
- Chen, J.W.Y., Marshall, H., Prakash, N. "Intrinsic Optical Signal Imaging of Seizures and Cortical Spreading Depression." Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology, Elsevier, November 2016. ISBN 9780128093245.
- Kohar A, Salamon N, Prakash N. “Devic’s Syndrome,” 100 Case Reviews in Neurosurgery (Jandial/Chen/Aizenberg), October 2016.
- Kohar A, Prakash N. “Transverse Myelitis,” 100 Case Reviews in Neurosurgery (Jandial/Chen/Aizenberg), October 2016.
- Allahabadi S, Jia C, Prakash N. “Visible Light Optical imaging and Spectroscopy During Neurosurgery,” The Textbook of Advanced Neurophotonics and Brain Mapping (Chen/Kateb - K23139), in press 2016.
- Prakash N. “Status Epilepticus,” Case Reviews in Neurosurgery (Jandial/Chen/Aizenberg), in press 2015.
- Kohar A, Prakash N. “Multiple Sclerosis,” Case Reviews in Neurosurgery (Jandial/Chen/Aizenberg), in press 2015.