A resident of Charlotte, NC, Dr. Hemanth Rao serves as medical director of neurology for Carolinas ContinueCare. Supporting his work in neurology in Charlotte, NC, Dr. Hemanth Rao maintains membership in professional organizations such as the American Academy of Neurology.Every year, the American Academy of Neurology offers annual meetings and conferences to provide educational opportunities to neurologists and other medical professionals. The fall 2017 conference will take place from October 20th through 22nd at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.The conference will include six practice management programs, 16 neurology update topics, and networking opportunities. Participants can earn as many as 15.75 CME credits over the weekend.Example credit-earning opportunities include Neurology Update I: Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune for 1.5 CME hours. The program will take place on Friday, October 20th, from 8:00 to 9:30am. Directed by Dr. Nancy J. Newman and Dr. Neeraj Kumar, it will include two sessions, the first on multiple sclerosis and the second on autoimmune neurology.For more information about CME credit earning opportunities at the conference or to learn more about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
In 2013, Dr. Hemanth Rao became the medical director of neurology at Carolina's ContinueCare in Charlotte, NC. In his role as the president and CEO of the Neurological Institute in Charlotte, NC, Dr. Hemanth Rao gained extensive clinical research experience in areas such as psychosis in Parkinson's patients.Those diagnosed with Parkinson's disease may experience well-known symptoms of major psychiatric illnesses referred to as psychosis; these symptoms include delusions and hallucinations.Delusions are defined as any irrational and illogical ideas, including paranoia. Hallucinations refer to the sensation of something not there in reality. Patients cannot control these unintended symptoms, but can find help dealing with them from mental health professionals.In order to treat psychotic symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease, medical professionals must first identify their source. Common reasons include delirium, dementia, and side effects from medication given to treat the disease. Medications for treating Parkinson's disease increase dopamine in the brain to counter the brain's loss or decreased functioning of dopamine-producing neurons. However, while increasing dopamine levels enhances motor function in the body, an excess of dopamine can also lead to psychotic symptoms.
