Newswise — National Stroke Awareness Month: GW Experts Available to Comment

Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability and is the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. Approximately 795,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds in the United States. During May’s Stroke Awareness Month the following George Washington University experts are available to provide commentary and insight into how to identify and prevent strokes.

Please contact Emily Grebenstein at [email protected] or 202-994-3087 to interview the following professor:

Malathi Thothathiri, assistant professor of speech and hearing sciences, studies how the brain processes language. She is director of the Neuroscience of Language lab, which studies aphasia (impaired language) and speech recovery in stroke patients. 

Please contact Lisa Anderson at [email protected] or 202-994-3121 to speak with stroke experts at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS):

Kathleen Burger, director of the SMHS Stroke Division and assistant professor in the Department of Neurology, can speak about stroke awareness, prevention, research and treatment.

John Rothrock, professor of neurology, assisted in the development of therapies such as intravenous t-PA for acute stroke therapy and warfarin for stroke prevention in individuals with atrial fibrillation. His current research involves creating and evaluating new paradigms for the management of acute TIA and minor stroke and investigations related to the specific mechanisms by which atrial fibrillation may generate stroke.

Christopher Leon Guerrero, assistant professor of neurology, can speak to the management of cerebrovascular disorders, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Wayne Olan, director of interventional and endovascular neurosurgery and assistant professor of neurological surgery, is an expert in stroke prevention and treatment.

Dimitri Sigounas, assistant professor of neurosurgery, is an expert in stroke interventions.

GW’s Flash Studio, a state-of-the-art broadcast studio, is available for remote, live or taped television and radio interviews. The studio is operated in partnership with VideoLink.