Dr. Joel Stein: International Leader in Physiatry , Part 1

Dr. Joel Stein is Physiatrist-in-Chief at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, as well as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Professor and Chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. His clinical and research interests are in the area of stroke rehabilitation. He has had a particular focus on the use of exercise as a treatment, and on the use of robotic and other technologies to facilitate recovery of motor function after stroke. He has authored or co-authored two books on stroke recovery and rehabilitation for stroke survivors and their families, and edited a multi-authored medical textbook on this subject entitled “Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation.” His undergraduate degree is from Columbia University and his medical degree is from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, followed by a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He is board certified in both internal medicine and physical medicine & rehabilitation. This is part 1 of a 2-part series. In this part of the discussion, Dr. Stein discusses: estimates of stroke incidence and prevalence in the U.S.; stroke occurrence among young individuals; impairments commonly resulting from a stroke; factors such as age that can affect the degree and speed of recovery; sleep apnea as a possible risk factor for stroke; relationship between sleep disorders and stroke recovery and possible contributions to cognitive decline post-stroke; whether screening for post-stroke depression and cognitive impairment can predict long-term patient outcomes; and whether persistent symptoms of anxiety can develop after a stroke.