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K.C. Brennan
( out of 81 reviews )

K.C. Brennan, MD

Languages spoken: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese

Clinical Locations

Imaging and Neurosciences Center

Headache Clinic
801-585-7575
  • K.C. Brennan, MD, is a clinician scientist who specializes in the treatment of headache. disorders. His lab studies the basic mechanisms of migraine and post-traumatic headache. See more about his lab here.

    You can also view his

    Twitter Account,

    Bioscience Profile,

    ResearchGate Profile,

    Google Scholar Profile, and

    PubMed Bibliography.

    Board Certification

    American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology (Neurology)
    United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (Headache Medicine)

    Patient Rating

    4.9 /5
    ( out of 81 reviews )

    The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers.

    The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

    Patient Comments

    Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety.
    Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

    August 23, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    Dr. Brennan is one of the very best out there. He is the first Dr. I have encountered who hears what you are saying and then provides the answers in layman's terms. He is kind and thoughtful.

    August 20, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    Excellent doc

    August 14, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    Dr Brennan understands my issues with my headaches.

    August 10, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    Knowledge, skilled, caring.

    August 06, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    Dr Brennan is great! I was discouraged about issues with a prescription medication. He recommended someone on the neurology team that could help me, and encouraged me to not give up. He also made a few other suggestions that might work. That was very helpful, and Im going continue to try to get the medications that I need for my chronic migraines.

    August 06, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    Dr Brennan is awesome!!

    August 05, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    I am forever grateful for the insightful and professional care I receive from Dr. Brennan. I would recommend him to family and friends without question. He listens and cares about every concern I have. Incredible standard of care.

    July 23, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    Dr. Brennan is amazing and I would highly recommend him. The only reason I wouldnt recommend him is because I question the competency of his nurse and her assistants

    May 17, 2023
    CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES CENTER

    He is a great doctor and he also talks with me on the migraines..

  • K.C. Brennan, MD, is a clinician scientist who specializes in the treatment of headache. disorders. His lab studies the basic mechanisms of migraine and post-traumatic headache. See more about his lab here.

    You can also view his

    Twitter Account,

    Bioscience Profile,

    ResearchGate Profile,

    Google Scholar Profile, and

    PubMed Bibliography.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Neurology -Primary
    Neurobiology -Adjunct
    Board Certification
    American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology (Neurology)
    United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (Headache Medicine)

    Education history

    Other Training Imaging Structure and Function in the Nervous System - Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Summer Course
    Headache, Neurophysiology - David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Department of Neurology Fellow
    Residency Neurology - David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Resident
    Internal Medicine - George Washington University Medical Center Intern
    Professional Medical Medicine - Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons M.D.
    Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Sciences - Georgetown University Certificate
    Undergraduate School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University B.A.

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. Cortez MM, Millsap L, Brennan KC, Campbell CL (2019). Craniofacial Autonomic Dysfunction in Migraine: Implications for Treatment and Prognosis. J Neuroophthalmol, 40(1), 67-73. (Read full article)
    2. Shuttleworth CW, Andrew RD, Akbari Y, Ayata C, Balu R, Brennan KC, Boutelle M, Carlson AP, Dreier JP, Fabricius M, Farkas E, Foreman B, Helbok R, Henninger N, Jewell SL, Jones SC, Kirov SA, Lindquist BE, Maciel CB, Okonkwo D, Reinhart KM, Robertson RM, Rosenthal ES, Watanabe T, Hartings JA (2019). Which Spreading Depolarizations Are Deleterious To Brain Tissue? Neurocrit Care. (Read full article)
    3. Chung LS, Brennan KC, Rolston JD (2019). Early Focal Brain Injury Predicts Spreading Depolarizations after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. Neurosurgery, 85(2), E188-E189. (Read full article)
    4. Pietrobon D, Brennan KC (2019). Genetic mouse models of migraine. J Headache Pain, 20(1), 79. (Read full article)
    5. Cortez MM, Rae N, Millsap L, McKean N, Brennan KC (2019). Pupil Cycle Time Distinguishes Migraineurs From Subjects Without Headache. Front Neurol, 10, 478. (Read full article)
    6. Sawant-Pokam PM, Suryavanshi P, Mendez JM, Dudek FE, Brennan KC (2017). Mechanisms of Neuronal Silencing After Cortical Spreading Depression. Cereb Cortex, 27(2), 1311-1325. (Read full article)
    7. Kaufmann D, Bates EA, Yagen B, Bialer M, Saunders GH, Wilcox K, White HS, Brennan KC (2016). sec-Butylpropylacetamide (SPD) has antimigraine properties. Cephalalgia, 36(10), 924-35. (Read full article)
    8. Bogdanov VB, Middleton NA, Theriot JJ, Parker PD, Abdullah OM, Ju YS, Hartings JA, Brennan KC (2016). Susceptibility of Primary Sensory Cortex to Spreading Depolarizations. J Neurosci, 36(17), 4733-43. (Read full article)
    9. Kinard KI, Smith AG, Singleton JR, Lessard MK, Katz BJ, Warner JE, Crum AV, Mifflin MD, Brennan KC, Digre KB (2015). Chronic migraine is aaociated with reduced corneal nerve fiber density and symptoms of dry eye. Headache, 55(4), 543-9.
    10. Tang YT, Mendez JM, Theriot JJ, Sawant PM, Lpez-Valds HE, Ju YS, Brennan KC (2014). Minimum conditions for the induction of cortical spreading depression in brain slices. J Neurophysiol, 112(10), 2572-9. (Read full article)
    11. Lopez-Valdes HE, Clarkson AN, Ao Y, Charles AC, Carmichael ST, Sofroniew MV, Brennan K (2014). Memantine enhances recovery from stroke. Stroke, 45(7), 2093-100.
    12. Chang J, Brennan K, He D, Huang H, Miura R, Wilson P, Wylie J (Summer 2013). A Mathematical Model of the Metabolic and Perfusion Effects on Cortical Spreading Depression. PLoS One.
    13. Clarkson AN, Lopez-Valdes HE, Overmann JJ, Charles AC, Brennan KC, Thomas Carmichael S (2013). Multimodal examination of structural and functional remapping in the mouse photothrombotic stroke model. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab, 33(5), 716-723.
    14. Brennan KC, Bates EA, Shapiro RE, Zyuzin J, Hallows WC, Huang Y, Lee HY, Jones CR, Fu YH, Charles AC, Ptacek LJ (2013). Casein kinase 1 delta mutations in familial migraine and advanced sleep phase. Sci Transl Med, 1(5), 1-11.
    15. Bogdanov VB, Bogdanov OV, Koulchitsky SV, Chauvel V, Multon S, Makarchuk MY, Brennan KC, Renshaw PF, Schoenen J (01/01/2013). Behavior in the open field predicts the number of KCl-induced cortical spreading depression in rats. Behav Brain Res, 236, 90 - 93.
    16. Theriot JJ, Toga AW, Prakash N, Ju, YS, Brennan KC (In Press). Cortical sensory plasticity in a model of migraine with aura. J Neurosci, 32(44), 15252-61.
    17. Ahn AH, Brennan KC (2012). Unanswered questions in headache: how does a migraine attack stop? Headache, 52(1), 186-7.
    18. Chang JC, Brennan KC, Chou T (2011). Tracking monotonically advancing boundaries in image sequences using graph cuts and recursive kernel shape priors. IEEE Trans Med Imaging, PMC2215697.
    19. Tang YT, Kim J, Lopez-Valdes HE, Brennan KC, Ju YS (2011). Development and characterization of a microfluidic chamber incorporating fluid ports with active suction for localized chemical stimulation of brain slices. Lab Chip, 11(13), 2247-54. (Read full article)
    20. Lopez-Valdes HE, Beltran-Parrazal L, Brennan KC, Charles AC (2010). Bradykinin increases resensitization of purinergic receptor signaling in glioma cells. Cancer Cell Int, 10, 35. (Read full article)
    21. Chang JC, Shook LL, Biag J, Nguyen EN, Toga AW, Charles AC, Brennan KC (2010). Biphasic direct current shift, haemoglobin desaturation and neurovascular uncoupling in cortical spreading depression. Brain, 133(Pt 4), 996-1012. (Read full article)
    22. Bates EA, Nikai T, Brennan KC, Fu YH, Charles AC, Basbaum AI, Ptacek LJ, Ahn AH (2010). Sumatriptan alleviates nitroglycerin-induced mechanical and thermal allodynia in mice. Cephalalgia, 30(2), 170-8. (Read full article)
    23. Charles A, Flippen C, Romero Reyes M, Brennan KC (2007). Memantine for prevention of migraine: a retrospective study of 60 cases. J Headache Pain, 8(4), 248-50. (Read full article)
    24. Brennan KC, Romero Reyes M, Lopez Valdes HE, Arnold AP, Charles AC (2007). Reduced threshold for cortical spreading depression in female mice. Ann Neurol, 61(6), 603-6. (Read full article)
    25. Brennan KC, Beltran-Parrazal L, Lopez-Valdes HE, Theriot J, Toga AW, Charles AC (2007). Distinct vascular conduction with cortical spreading depression. J Neurophysiol, 97(6), 4143-51. (Read full article)
    26. Beltran-Parrazal L, Lpez-Valds HE, Brennan KC, Daz-Muoz M, de Vellis J, Charles AC (2006). Mitochondrial transport in processes of cortical neurons is independent of intracellular calcium. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, 291(6), C1193-7.
    27. Brennan KC, Jurewicz EC, Ford B, Pullman SL, Louis ED (2002). Is essential tremor predominantly a kinetic or a postural tremor? A clinical and electrophysiological study. Mov Disord, 17(2), 313-6. (Read full article)
    28. Sakai N, Brennan K, Weiss L, Matile S (1997). Toward Biomimetic Ion Channels Formed by Rigid-Rod Molecules: Length-Dependent Ion-Transport Activity of Oligo(p-Phenylene)s. J Am Chem Soc, 119, 8726-8727.

    Review

    1. Digre KB, Brennan KC (2012). Shedding light on photophobia. [Review]. J Neuroophthalmol, 32(1), 68-81.
    2. Brennan KC, Charles A (2010). An update on the blood vessel in migraine. [Review]. Curr Opin Neurol, 23(3), 266-74. (Read full article)
    3. Charles A, Brennan KC (2010). The neurobiology of migraine. [Review]. Handb Clin Neurol, 97, 99-108. (Read full article)
    4. Charles A, Brennan K (2009). Cortical spreading depression-new insights and persistent questions. [Review]. Cephalalgia, 29(10), 1115-24. (Read full article)
    5. Brennan KC, Charles A (2009). Sleep and headache. [Review]. Semin Neurol, 29(4), 406-18. (Read full article)
    6. Matsumoto J, Saver JL, Brennan KC, Ringman JM (2005). Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke (MELAS). [Review]. Rev Neurol Dis, 2(1), 30-4.

    Book Chapter

    1. Charles A, Brennan KC (2010). The neurobiology of migraine. In Handb Clin Neurol (97, pp. 99-108).
    2. Brennan KC, Toga AW (2009). Intraoperative optical imaging. In Frostig R (Ed.), Methods for in vivo Optical Imaging of the Central Nervous System. CRC Press.
    3. CharlesAC, Brennan KC (2008). Glial cell calcium signaling. In Squire L (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Elsevier Press.
    4. Brennan KC, Charles AC (2008). Mechanisms of cortical spreading depression as targets for migraine therapy. In OlesenJ, Ramadan N (Eds.), Frontiers in Headache Research: Innovative Drug Development for Headache Disorders. Oxford University Press.

    Editorial

    1. Brennan KC, Ahn AH (2013). Unanswered questions in headache: So what is photophobia, anyway? Headache, 53(10), 1673-4.
    2. Brennan KC (2011). Turn down the lights! An irritable occipital cortex in migraine without aura. Neurology, 76(3), 206-7.
    3. Charles A, Brennan KC (2008). A touch of increased pain: cutaneous allodynia in migraine. Ann Neurol, 63(2), 130-2. (Read full article)
    4. Charles A, Brennan KC (2007). Sumatriptan-naproxen combination for acute migraine. Nat Clin Pract Neurol, 3(11), 604-5. (Read full article)

    Abstract

    1. Lopez-Valdes HE, Clarkson AN, Carmichael ST, Charles AC, Brennan KC (2009). Chronic treatment with memantine enhances recovery of somatosensory maps in a mouse stroke model. Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL [Abstract].
    2. Brennan KC, Chang J, Shook L, Biag J, Nguyen E, Toga AW, Charles AC (2009). Biphasic DC shift, hemoglobin desaturation, and neurovascular uncoupling in cortical spreading depression. 134th Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association, Baltimore MD. Selected for Platform Presentation. [Abstract].
    3. Lopez-Valdes HE, Biag J, Chang J, Toga AW, Charles AC, Brennan KC (2008). Long term optical intrinsic signal imaging of forepaw and hindpaw cortex in mouse. Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC [Abstract].
    4. Chang J, Shook L, Charles AC, Brennan KC (2008). Significant hemoglobin desaturation during cortical spreading depression. 133rd Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association, Salt Lake City UT [Abstract].
    5. Brennan KC, Romero Reyes M, Lopez-Valdes HE, Arnold AP, Charles AC (2007). Reduced threshold for cortical spreading depression in female mice. 13th Annual Congress of the International Headache Society, Stockholm, Sweden [Abstract].
    6. KC Brennan, Hector E Lpez-Valds, Marcela Romero Reyes, Arthur P Arnold, Andrew C Charles (2007). Reduced threshold for cortical spreading depression in female mice. American Headache Society Annual Scientific Meeting, Chicago IL. Selected for Platform Presentation. [Abstract].
    7. Brennan KC, Shapiro RE, Xu Y, Ptacek LJ, Fu YH, Charles AC (2006). Alterations in spreading depression in a transgenic mouse carrying a novel potential migraine gene. (Selected for Platform Presentation, awarded Best Poster Prize), Migraine Trust International Symposium, London, UK [Abstract].
    8. KC Brennan, Robert Shapiro, Louis Ptcek, and Andrew Charles (2006). Reduced threshold for cortical spreading depression and increased vasodilatation in mice expressing CK1dT44A. American Headache Society Annual Scientific Meeting, Los Angeles CA. Selected for Platform Presentation. [Abstract].
    9. KC Brennan, Ying Xu, Louis Ptcek, and Andrew Charles (2006). Reduced threshold for cortical spreading depression in mice expressing CK1dT44A. Channels, Receptors, and Synapses Meeting. Cold Spring Harbor NY. Selected for Platform Presentation. [Abstract].
    10. KC Brennan, Jeremy Theriot, Kevin Cury, Arthur W Toga, Andrew C Charles (2005). Changes in arterial caliber can precede cortical spreading depression. 12th Annual Congress of the International Headache Society, Kyoto, Japan. Selected for Platform Presentation. [Abstract].
    11. Brennan KC, Guiou M, Cury K, Prakash N, Toga A, Charles AC (2004). Flufenamic acid prevents optical intrinsic signal changes associated with spreading depression. UCLA Joint Neurology Residency and Postdoctoral Research Symposium [Abstract].

    Other

    1. Brennan K, Digre K, Baggaley S (2012). Headache- A Patient's Guide.