Brian Berman, MD, MS
Professor Adjoint, Neurology

Chair, Radioactive Drug Research Committee
Clinic (720) 848-2080 (Use for all patient-related inquiries.)
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Gender: Male
Languages: English
Department, Section/Division: Neurology
Psychiatry
Radiology

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Neurology, Board Certification (2009)
  • Radiology, Board Certification (1999)
Conditions & Treatments
  • Brain and Nervous System
  • Movement Disorders
  • Parkinson's Disease
Clinical Interest for Patients
My clinical interests include a variety of movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, tremor, chorea and ataxia. I diagnose, care for, and treat patients with these conditions and perform botulinum toxin injections for dystonia, tardive syndromes, spasticity, and drooling. I also see patients with movement disorders and other neurological conditions at the Denver VA Medical Center.

Care Philosophy
I try to apply a humanistic approach to caring for patients, and attempt to empower patients and their families in the medical decision making process. I also try to connect with my patients and incorporate humor into therapeutic interactions as a way to help them learn to accept, improve and cope with their often disabling neurological disorders.

Personal Interests
In my free time I enjoy spending time with my kids and wife, going to concerts, playing guitar, exercising, traveling, scuba diving, and participating in some of the many outdoor activities Colorado has to offer like snowboarding, hiking, biking and camping.

Volunteer Activities
I volunteer my time speaking for patient support and advocacy groups around Colorado, and serve on medical advisory boards for the Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation and the National Spasmodic Torticollis Association.

Education & Training

Medical Schools:
  • MD, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (2004)

Graduate Schools:
  • MS, University of Colorado Denver (1996)

Undergraduate Schools:
  • BS, University of New Mexico (NM) (1992)

Internships:
  • University of California (San Francisco) School of Medicine Program (2005)

Residency Program:
  • University of California (San Francisco) School of Medicine Program, Neurology (2008)

Fellowships:
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH), Neurology (2010)

Recognition & Awards

  • Fellow, American Academy of Neurology (2018)
  • Golden Stethoscope Award: Patient/Physician Communication., University of Colorado School of Medicine (2018)
  • Department of Neurology Faculty Student Teaching Appreciation Award, University of Colorado School of Medicine (2016)

Professional Memberships

  • American Academy of Neurology, Member
  • American Neurological Association, Member
  • Movement Disorder Society, Member
  • Parkinson Study Group, Member
  • Sigma Xi, Member
  • Society for Neuroscience, Member

Teaching

  • Associate Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Radiology (2015)
    School of Medicine, Neurology

Research & Grants

Grants
  • Project 1: Natural History & Biospecimen Repository for Focal Dystonia (2019)
    NIH / Dystonia Coalition, $6335298
  • Non-invasive inhibitory neurostimulation for the treatment of blepharospasm: A pilot study (2019)
    Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation, $74769
  • Gamma band neural stimulation on resting state default mode network connectivity: A combined transcranial alternating current stimulation and functional MRI (2019)
    CCTSI Center for Neuroscience Pilot Program, $30000
  • Nicotinic Agonist Effects on BMI and Neuronal Response in Overweight/Obese Adults (2015)
    NIH R01 DK103691, $297500
  • Project 4: Diagnostic and Rating Tools for Blepharospasm (2015)
    NIH / Dystonia Coalition, $352234
  • Inhibitory and network dysfunction in primary focal dystonia (2014)
    The Dana Foundation: David Mahoney Neuroimaging Program, $200000
  • Basal ganglia circuit dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease (2014)
    NIH/Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute KL2, $392700
Research interests for Patients:
My research includes using advanced brain imaging methods to study what happens to brain structure and function when a patient develops Parkinson’s disease or dystonia so that we can make better and earlier diagnoses, find better ways to treat these disorders, and advance our knowledge of what causes these disorders so that we can eventually find their cures.

Information for Referring Providers

Clinical Interests for Referring Providers
My combined clinical and research interests in Parkinson’s disease and dystonia have led me to concentrate clinically on these disorders, but I also have a clinical interest in other movement disorders including Essential Tremor, Atypical Parkinsonian Disorders and Tourette Syndrome. I enjoy evaluating patients with a variety of challenging movement disorders and treating their neurological symptoms as well as frequent co-morbid psychiatric symptoms.

Research Interest for Referring Providers
I conduct structural and functional imaging studies in Parkinson’s disease and dystonia with the goals to increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of these conditions and develop neuroimaging biomarkers that can help improve our ability to accurately diagnose these conditions and inform the development of better treatments. I also conduct research aimed at expand our knowledge and understanding of the genetics, risk factors and natural history of dystonia, as well as develop more useful tools to diagnose dystonia and rate symptoms so that new treatments for this disabling disorder can be tested in future clinical trials.
Clinic Phone: (720) 848-2080 (Use for all patient-related inquiries.)
Fax Phone: (720) 848-0117 (Use for all patient related fax transmissions including prescription refills, referrals, and medical records.), (303) 724-2212 (Use for all non-patient related fax transmissions.)
Office Phone: (303) 724-2194 (Use for all non-patient related inquiries.)

CV Berman-CV_3-12-20.pdf