Clinical & Sports Neuropsychologist

Specializing in the Assessment and Management of Concussion and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)

Dr. Emami is a fellowship-trained, licensed clinical and sports neuropsychologist who specializes in the assessment and clinical management of sport and non-sport related concussion. He is currently practicing at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and has an academic appointment as Assistant Professor of Neuropsychology in Clinical Neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at City University of New York, Hunter College.

Prior to starting at HSS, he received his doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration in clinical neuropsychology at Widener University and completed APA-accredited internship rotations at both the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Dept. of Neurology) and Temple University Hospital (Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation). After graduating, Dr. Emami completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Sports Medicine Concussion Program, where he was directly involved in all aspects of clinical care for pediatric and adult patients, including high school, collegiate, and professional athletes. He has also been involved in multiple research projects, peer-reviewed publications, and invited lectures/presentations on the topic of sports-related concussion.

Concussion

Concussions are a major health concern, affecting upwards of 3.8 million individuals per year. A concussion typically occurs when biomechanical forces are either directly or indirectly transferred to the head, causing pathophysiological changes at the cellular level. Concussions are typically diagnosed based on the presence of certain signs and symptoms and are not identified on traditional imaging techniques, such as CT scans or MRIs.

Symptoms

Concussions are considered to be heterogenous injuries that typically present with a constellation of symptoms. These difficulties can cause individuals to struggle in a variety of environments, including school, work, and athletics. While each injury is unique, common symptoms can include (loss of consciousness is NOT necessary for an individual to develop concussion-related symptoms), but is not limited to, the following:

  • Physical

    • Headaches

    • Dizziness/Balance issues

    • Light and/or noise sensitivity

    • Nausea

  • Cognitive

    • Difficulty with attention/concentration

    • Cognitive fatigue

    • Forgetfulness

    • Mental fogginess

  • Emotional

    • Anxiety

    • Depression

    • Irritability

NOTE: Seek emergency medical care if the following signs/symptoms develop: repeated vomiting, loss of consciousness >30 seconds, seizures/convulsions, worsening headache over time, confusion/disorientation and changes in mental status, fluid/blood from ears/nose, weakness/numbness/tingling in extremities, changes in pupils (e.g. dilated or unequal pupil size), or slurred speech.

Recovery and Treatment

 

While the vast majority of patients fully recover and return to their pre-injury level of functioning, timelines are often variable and can be dependent on many factors. It is important to seek care from a specialist as early as possible in order to develop a targeted plan and increase the likelihood of a faster recovery.

Treatment recommendations are patient specific. Depending on your presenting issues, you may be referred to vestibular rehabilitation, vision therapy, neck physical therapy, athletic training, psychotherapy, and/or pharmacological intervention. Regardless of any formal treatments, strict adherence to a well developed behavioral management plan is imperative.

Neuropsychological Evaluation

A neuropsychological evaluation takes a specialized approach and look at brain-behavior relationships. This is achieved through the implementation and interpretation of a variety of assessment procedures that measure an individual’s attention/concentration, processing speed and reaction time, visual and verbal memory abilities, language functioning, and working memory/executive functioning capacity. Additionally, one’s psychological functioning and mood are also routinely monitored and screened for, given the impact this can have on cognitive functioning.

Dr. Emami takes a targeted and multi-faceted approach in his evaluations as it relates to concussion assessments, which typically include:

  • Medial Record Review

  • Clinical Interview

  • Neurocognitive Testing and Interpretation

  • Vestibular/Ocular-Motor Screening

  • Feedback

  • Treatment Planning and Recommendations

Schedule an Appointment

To schedule an appointment, please use the link below.