Paul S. Larson MD
Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurological Surgery
Chief, Neurosurgery Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Principal Investigator, Movement Disorders Research
Dr. Larson's clinical interests are in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, particularly with regard to movement disorders and psychiatric disorders. He has been involved in the development and evolution of novel surgical methods for deep brain stimulator implantation, including frameless techniques and the use of high-field, real-time intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). He has extensive surgical experience in the use of intraoperative MRI for a number of neurosurgical applications. During his residency, Dr. Larson was extensively involved in the development of the Norton Hospital intraoperative MRI program, and spent a year in the Speed School of Engineering's Computer Vision and Image Processing Lab studying the basic science of CT and MR image analysis and 3D modeling.
Dr. Larson's research interests include neurostimulation, gene therapy, and other neurorestorative therapies for a variety of neurological diseases, including movement disorders and psychiatric disorders. He is also involved in studies using high-field MR brain imaging for clinical and basic science research. His basic science interests include MR research and the development of new technologies to perform functional neurosurgery using real-time MR imaging.
Watch the Smart Planet segment on interventional MRI for Deep Brain Stimulation
Education, Training, and Previous Positions
- 1990: BS, Arizona State University
1995: MD, University of Arizona
1995-1996: Surgical Internship, University of Louisville
1996-2001: Neurosurgical Residency, University of Louisville
Selected Professional Memberships and Appointments
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
AANS-CNS Joint Section on Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
American Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
World Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
The Movement Disorder Society
Selected Honors and Awards
- 1991-93: NIH Medical Student Research Fellowships, University of Arizona Barrow Neurological Institute
1995: Excellence in Medical Student Research, University of Arizona
1999: First Place, Resident Paper Competition, Louisville Surgical Society
1999: First Place, Biotechnology Research Category, Research!Louisville 1999
1999-2000: Excellence in Clinical Education Award , University of Louisville School of Medicine
2004: Harold Rosegay Teaching Award, Neurological Surgery, UCSF
2005: Who's Who in Medical Science Education
2007: Diane D. Ralston Teaching Award, Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF
Selected Recent Publications
Starr PA, Martin AJ, Ostrem JL, Talke P, Levesque N, Larson PS. Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulator placement using high-field interventional magnetic resonance imaging and a skull-mounted aiming device: technique and application accuracy [published online Aug 14, 2009]. J Neurosurg. doi: 10.3171/2009.6.JNS081161.
Martin AJ, Larson PS, Ostrem JL, Starr PA. Interventional magnetic resonance guidance of deep brain stimulator implantation for Parkinson disease. Top Magn Reson Imaging 2009;19(4):213-21.
Glass GA, Ku S, Ostrem JL, Heath S, Larson PS. Fluoroscopic, EMG-guided injection of botulinum toxin into the longus colli for the treatment of anterocollis. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2009;15(8):610-3.
Martin AJ, Starr PA, Larson PS. Software requirements for interventional MR in restorative and functional neurosurgery [review]. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2009;20(2):179-86.
Starr PA, Martin AJ, Larson PS. Implantation of deep brain stimulator electrodes using interventional MRI [review]. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2009;20(2):193-203.
Papavassiliou E, Rau G, Heath S, Abosch A, Barbaro NM, Larson PS, Lamborn K, Starr PA. Thalamic deep brain stimulation for essential tremor: relation of lead location to outcome. Neurosurgery 2008;62(Suppl 2):884-94.
Marks WJ Jr, Ostrem JL, Verhagen L, Starr PA, Larson PS, Bakay RA, Taylor R, Cahn-Weiner DA, Stoessl AJ, Olanow CW, Bartus RT. Safety and tolerability of intraputaminal delivery of CERE-120 (adeno-associated virus serotype 2-neurturin) to patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease: an open-label, phase I trial. Lancet Neurol 2008;7(5):400-8.
Martin AJ, Hall WA, Roark C, Starr PA, Larson PS, Truwit CL. Minimally invasive precision brain access using prospective stereotaxy and a trajectory guide. J Magn Reson Imaging 2008;27(4):737-43.
Sillay KA, Larson PS, Starr PA. Deep brain stimulator hardware-related infections: incidence and management in a large series. Neurosurgery 2008;62(2):360-7.
Larson PS, Richardson RM, Starr PA, Martin AJ. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Implanted Deep Brain Stimulators: Experience in a Large Series.Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2007;86(2):92-100.
Larson PS. Deep brain stimulation for psychiatric disorders. Neurotherapeutics 2008;5(1):50-8.
Larson PS, Richardson RM, Starr PA, Martin AJ. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Implanted Deep Brain Stimulators: Experience in a Large Series. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2007;86(2):92-100.
Starr PA, Martin AJ, Talke P, Ostrem J, Sootsman WK, Levesque N, Meyers J, Larson PS. Placement of subthalamic DBS electrodes in a radiology suite usin ginterventional MRI. Proceedings of the medtronic Forum for Neuroscience and Neuro-Technology 2005. Springer, Berlin, 2007.
Martin AJ, Larson PS, Ostrem JL, Sootsman WK, Talke P, Weber OM, Levesque N, Meyers J, Starr PA. Placement of deep brain stimulator electrodes using real-time high-field interventional magnetic resonance imaging. Magn Reson Med 2005;54(5):1107-14.
Papavassiliou E, Rau G, Heath S, Abosch A, Barbaro NM, Larson PS, Lamborn K, Starr PA. Thalamic deep brain stimulation for essential tremor: relation of lead location to outcome. Neurosurgery 2004;54(5):1120-29; discussion 1129-30.
Larson PS, Reisner A, Morassutti DJ, Abdulhadi B, Harpring JE. Traumatic intracranial aneurysms. Neurosurg Focus [serial on the Internet]. 2000 [cited 2005 Apr 7];8(1):[about 10 p.]. Available from: http://www.aans.org/education/journal/neurosurgical/jan00/8-1-4.asp
Moriarty TM, Quinones-Hinojosa A, Larson PS, Alexander E 3rd, Gleason PL, Schwartz RB, Jolesz FA, Black PM. Frameless stereotactic neurosurgery using intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging: stereotactic brain biopsy. Neurosurgery 2000;47(5):1138-45; discussion 1145-6.