Maria Alejandra Herrera, M.D.
Board certified neurologist with a special interest in neuromuscular diseases, Cholera, anesthetics, headaches, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and electrodiagnostic medicine testing.
PROFESSIONAL AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES
[2002–present] Practice of Neurology at Sunrise Medical Group
MEDICAL DEGREE
[1992] Universidad de Carabobo, Nucleo Aragua, Maracay, Estado Aragua, Venezuela
CERTIFICATIONS, QUALIFICATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
[1987-1990] Universidad de Carabobo, Nucleo Aragua, Venezuela, Biochemistry Pre-graduate Menor
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
GRADUATE TRAINING
Residency: Neurology
[1998-2001] (Neurology Residency Cleveland Clinic, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
Internship:
[1993] (Rural Postgraduate, Maracay, Estado Aragua, Venezuela) (State University School of Medicine, Buffalo, NY)
Internship:
[1993-1995] (Postgraduate Rotatory Internship, Jose Maria Carabano Tosta Regional Hospital Maracay, Estado Aragua, Venezuela
Fellowship: Neurology
[1996-1997] (The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas American Academy of Neurology)
Fellowship: PGY-1
[1997-1998] (John Peter Smith Hospital, Fort Worth, Texas)
Fellowship: Electrodiagnostic
[2001-2002] Electrodiagnostic Medicine Fellowship Cleveland Clinic, Weston, Florida
AFFILIATED ASSOCIATIONS
American Society of Anesthesiology
American Academy of Neurology
American Medical Association
Venezuelan American Medical Association
Colegio de Medicos del Estado Aragua, Venezuela
PRESENTATIONS, PUBLISHED BOOKS AND PAPERS
[1998] “Priming in the brain, an immunologically privileged organ, elicits antitumor immunity.” Hassan Fathallah, Michael Cho, Wei Gao, Maria Alejandra Herrera. Journal of Cancer
[1997] Society for Neuroscience, Annual Meeting
[1997] “Effect of traditional versus newer anesthetic drugs and techniques on Operating Room efficiency in pediatric outpatient surgery.” Anesthesiology
[1997] American Society of Anesthesiology, Annual Meeting
[2001] “Chorea in Adults”. Maria Alejandra Herrera, Nestor Galvez-Jimenez, E. Medicine Journal
[present] “Effects of Aging on Sensory Nerve Action Potentials of the Superficial Peroneal, Plantar and Sural Nerves”. Maria Alejandra Herrera, Virgilio Salanga.* In Progress
[2002] “Does the neurologist contribute to the care of the patient with back pain:” Benbadis SR, Herrera MA, Orazi U. European Neurology
[In press] “A combined presynaptic and postsynaptic neuromuscular transmission disorder in one patient.” Maria Alejandra Herrera, Virgilio Salanga. To be published in the Journal Muscle & Nerve
RESEARCH
[1991-1992] Regional Institute of Health, Maracay, Venezuela, Pandemic of Cholera Disease, Latin America
[1992-1993] Regional Institute of Health, Maracay, Venezuela Diagnosis of Health Situation of Canade Azucar Community
[1996] Epidural continuous Infusion of local anesthetics and narcotics (Hydromorphone) in 118 patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion; pain management in 105 patients with cerebral palsy and dislocated hips; effect of traditional versus newer anesthetic drugs and techniques on OR efficiency in pediatric outpatient surgery. University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas; and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas, Texas
[1996-1997] Priming in the brain, an immunopriviledged organ, elicits antitumor immunity. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas. Dallas, Texas
Migraine/Headaches
[2003] A comparison of the efficacy and safety of topiramate versus placebo for the prophylaxis of chronic migraine (CAPSS-276); phase III).
[2003] A comparison of the efficacy and safety of topiramate versus placebo for the prophylaxis of chronic migraine (CAPSS-276); phase III).
[2004] A double-blind, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled single dose study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of TreximaTM in the acute treatment of migraine headaches.
[2005] A multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, efficacy, safety and tolerability study of dronabinol MDI in the acute treatment of migraine headache.
[2005] Topiramate Intervention to prevent transformation of episodic migraine: the topriamate INTREPID study
[2005] A phase 3, multi-center study evaluating the efficacy of botulinum toxin type a purified neurotoxin complex as headache prophylaxis in migraine patients with 15 or more headache days per 4-week period in a 24-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase followed by a 32-week open-label extension phase.
[2006] A randomized, double-blind, single migraine attack, placebo-controlled, parallel-group multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of sumatriptan succinate/naproxen sodium tablets vs. placebo when administered during the mild pain phase of menstrual migraine in women with dysmenorrhea.
Alzheimer’s/Dementia/MCI
[2003] A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Neramexane in patients with moderate to severe Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type.
[2003] Psychometric Validation of the Dementia Severity Scale (DSS)
[2003] A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 18 month study of the efficacy of xaliproden in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.
[2004] A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study to assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of titration and treatment with CbS in subjects with middle cognitive impairment (MCI).
[2005] Phase 3 multi-center, randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study of the effect of daily treatment with MPC-7869 on measures of cognitive and global function in subjects with mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.
[2005] An open label evaluation of the safety of memantine in patients with moderate-to-severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type
[2006] A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of VP4896 for the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Pain
[2003] An open-label tolerability and safety study of oxymorphone extended release in opioidnaïve patients with chronic pain.
[2003] A randomized, multiple-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study comparing the safety and efficacy of hydromorphone HCI extended-release and Duragesic® in subjects with non-malignant pain.
[2003] A randomized, double-blind, controlled dose finding study of NGX-40 10 for the treatment of post herpetic neuralgia.
[2003] A randomized, double-blind, controlled dose finding study ofNGX-4010 for the treatment of painful IIIV-associated neuropathy.
[2003] Evaluation of capsaicin cream 0.25% in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia or painful diabetic neuropathy not controlled by oral anticonvulsant or tricyclic antidepressant medications.
[2003] A phase 2, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-parallel group, multi-center, 12-week study to assess the efficacy and safety of CP-424, 39 1 in Fibromyalgia patients.
[2003] An open-label, long term effectiveness and safety study of Oxymorphone Extended Release (ER) in patients with Cancer or Neuropathic pain.
[2003] A phase IH pivotal, multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled monotherapy study of Milnacipran for treatment of fibromyalgia.
[2003] A phase 2, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-parallel group, multicenter, 12-week study to assess the efficacy and safety ofCP-424,391 in fibromyalgia patients.
[2004] A multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel study of the safety and efficacy of BOTOX® (Botulinim Toxin Type A) purified neurotoxin complex in subjects with postherpetic neuralgia.
[2004] Multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy and Safety of 200, 400, and 600MG/day SPM 927 I subjects with painful distal diabetic neuropathy.
[2004] A pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-period crossover study to evaluate the efficacy of Gabapentin and Tramadol in the treatment of small fiber predominant neuropathy.
[2005] A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the safety and efficacy of Gabapentin Extended Release (0-ER) tablets in the treatment of patients with postherpetic neuralgia.
[2005] A randomized placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy and safety of Pregabalin in the treatment of subjects with neuropathic pain associated with lumbo-sacral radiculopathy.
[2006] A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study of NGX 4010 For the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia.
[2006] A Multicenter Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study ofNGX-4010 for the Treatment of Painful HIV-Associated Neuropathy.
[2006] A randomized, Double-Blind Study Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of the Lidocaine Patch 5% with placebo in Patients with Pain from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
[2006] A Double-Blind, Placebo- controlled, Multicenter Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Dextromethorphan and Quinidine at Two Dose Levels in the Treatment of the Pain of Diabetic Neuropathy.
[2006] A 14-Week, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Pregabalin Twice Daily in Patients with Fibromyalgia.
[2006] A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled, Two-Period Crossover Study to explore the Safety and Preliminary Efficacy of Oral rvlD-XDOCX in the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia.
[2006] A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-Group, Adaptive-Design, Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability Study of 4 Fixed Oral Doses of DVS SR in Adult Outpatients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome.
Parkinson’s
[2003] Onset of Motor Complications
[2004] Two double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center, multi-national studies (phase ifi) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Sarizotan in patients with Parkinson’s disease suffering from treatment-related dyskinesia.
[2005] A prospective, multi-center, randomized, open-label study with blinded raters to evaluate the effects of immediate versus delayed switch to Stalevo® on motor function and quality of life in patients with Parkinson’s disease with end-of-dose Wearing off.
[2006] A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo controlled Parallel-group Fixed and Flexible SLV3O8 Dose Arm Study to Assess Efficacy and Safety of SLV3O8 Monotherapy in the Treatment of Patients with Early Stage Parkinson’s Disease.
Multiple Sclerosis
[2003] A Phase II, randomized, open-label, three-arm study comparing low-and high-dose Campath® (MABCAMPATH® in patients with early, active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
[2004] A multi-center, randomized, single-blind, parallel group study to compare the efficacy, tolerability and safety, of Copaxone® to that of high dose Interfeon (Betaseron® or Rebif®) in the treatment of relapsing Multiple Sclerosis patients.
[2005] An implementation Study of treatment optimization recommendations comparing subjects continuing treatment with IFN-l3-la 30 mcg qw IM (Avonex®) or Glatiramer acetate 20 mg qd SC (Copaxone®) to those randomized to IFN-13-la 44 mcg tiw SC (Rebif~), in a multi-center study of subjects with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis currently on disease-modifying therapy.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN – Fluent
English and Spanish