Dr. Belinda Shao, PGY-5, Wins the Bobby Jones Chiari and Syringomyelia Foundation Award

The Neurosurgery Department’s very own Dr. Belinda Shao, PGY-5, presented an abstract titled “Effect on Affect: Postsurgical Change in Cerebellar Neuropsychiatric Rating Scale Scores in Adults and Children with Chiari” at the 2023 AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pediatric Neurosurgery Annual Meeting, winning the Bobby Jones Chiari and Syringomyelia Foundation Award.

According to their website, “The Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation’s goal is to raise awareness and find a cure for Chiari malformation (CM), syringomyelia (SM) and related disorders… Bobby Jones CSF is currently the only organization funding research, education, awareness and advocacy for Chiari malformation, syringomyelia and related disorders to have both the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance seal and the Guidestar Platinum Seal.”

This award is given by pediatric neurosurgery section faculty to the winning oral presentations at the Chiari session of the meeting. It also comes with the invitation to present the research to the upcoming Chiari ThinkTank meeting of Chiari experts.

The study, conceived by Brown neurosurgeon Dr. Petra Klinge and Brown neuropsychologist Dr. Christine Trask, examines usage of the Cerebellar Neuropsychiatric Rating Scale to measure affective and cognitive dysregulation before and after posterior fossa decompression with duraplasty, and detected a postoperative improvement in scores. This study was also made possible by research team members Owen Leary, Shanzeh Saiyed, and Lella Wirth.

Congratulations Dr. Belinda Shao!