About

Andrew S. Blum is a Professor of Neurology with a comprehensive background in clinical epilepsy and neurophysiology. He completed his MD/PhD at Cornell Medical College and The Rockefeller University, followed by residency in neurology and a neuromuscular fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. His training also includes an epilepsy/EEG fellowship at Beth Israel Hospital, where he remained on staff at BIDMC/Harvard until 2000. Since then, he has been at Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University, where he directs the EEG Laboratory and the Adult Epilepsy Division, and serves as Co-Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program. His research interests encompass localization of epileptic foci, psychiatric aspects of epilepsy, diagnosis and treatment of non-epileptic seizures, hormonal interactions with anticonvulsant drugs, and the development and use of anticonvulsant therapeutics. Dr. Blum has contributed to numerous scholarly works in the field of epilepsy and neurology, emphasizing both clinical and research advancements in understanding and managing epilepsy and related neurophysiological conditions.

Research topics

• Psychiatry
• Internal medicine
• Medicine
• Pathology
• Physical therapy
• Pediatrics

Selected publications

• Evaluation and management of non-epileptic (functional) seizures: Lessons learned

  Epilepsy & Behavior · 2025-04-07 · 2 citations

  review
  PublisherDOI

• Neurobehavioral Therapy Is Associated With Improvements in Social Functioning in Patients With Functional Seizures and Traumatic Brain Injury

  Journal of Clinical Psychology · 2025-09-25

  article

  ABSTRACT Objective Functional (nonepileptic) seizures (FS) frequently co‐occurs with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and reduces social functioning. In the current study, we aimed to identify whether psychotherapy is associated with changes in social functioning in TBI + FS. Methods Participants were 96 adults with TBI, 48 of whom had FS and 48 of whom did not. Both TBI cohorts received standard medical care (SMC), and the TBI + FS group received adjunctive 12‐session neurobehavioral therapy (NBT) for seizures. Neuropsychiatric evaluations measured sociodemographics, mental health, cognition, medications, social functioning, and quality of life, with a subset of items completed at 8‐ and 12‐month post‐enrollment follow ups. Social functioning was assessed with a quality of life scale. Results Baseline seizure worry was the most reliable correlate of baseline social functioning ( r = 0.52; p < 0.001; multivariable linear regression: β = 0.42, t = 2.80, p = 0.04) in the TBI + FS cohort. A 2‐time (treatment baseline to endpoint) × 2‐group (TBI + FS vs. TBI comparison) mixed ANOVA showed improved QOLIE‐31 Social Functioning in the SMC + NBT‐treated TBI + FS cohort but not for SMC TBI‐only participants, F (1, 94) = 17.62, p < 0.001, partial η 2 = 0.16. NBT was associated with improved social activities and leisure time, reduced social limitations, and increased work status. None of the baseline clinical variables predicted pre‐post change in social functioning in TBI + FS participants. Conclusion and Implications for Practice Seizure worry appears to be an important component of social functioning in patients with FS and TBI and could be a worthwhile target of intervention. Our results suggest that multimodal NBT may be associated with improvements in aspects of social functioning for these patients. Those with TBI who were treated with SMC (no NBT) displayed no symptomatic or social benefit. This study highlights the importance of assessing and considering treatments for social functioning in FS. Trial Registration Data in this secondary analysis came from ClinicalTrials. gov: NCT03441867.

  PublisherDOI

• S860 Inverse Association Between Measures of Access to Endoscopy and Stage at Diagnosis of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma in Ohio

  The American Journal of Gastroenterology · 2025-10-01

  article

  Introduction: Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) rates in the United States have increased over the past 6 decades. Understanding the association of the regional distribution of gastroenterologists and EAC diagnoses could inform public health efforts to address the growing incidence of EAC. This study examined the relationship between geographic proximity to medical providers in Ohio capable of performing upper endoscopy, stage at diagnosis and survival in patients diagnosed with EAC. Methods: Data from the Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System (OCISS) was used to examine geographical distribution and stage at diagnosis of newly diagnosed EAC. Spatial access scores to gastroenterology and general surgery practices were created for U.S. census tracts using Ohio public listings, American College of Gastroenterology provider file, and the American Medical Association’s Physician Masterfile. Relationship between spatial access scores and stage at diagnosis was explored through univariate and multivariate logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, smoking status, and measures of social deprivation. Results: There were 1,048,575 cases of cancers of all sites in OCISS registry identified. Esophageal adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in 7,467 individuals. Mean age at diagnosis was 67.1± standard deviation (SD) 11.6 years. 6,294/7,467 (84.3%) of cancers were diagnosed in men. Majority of the patients with diagnosis were White (7,202/7,467; [96.5%]), only 207/7,467 (2.8%) of patients in the registry were Blacks with EAC. Fifty-two point one percent of persons diagnosed with EAC resided in areas with poverty level exceeding 10%. Thirty-two percent of cases presented as distant disease. Residing in an area with best spatial access to care (i.e., highest quartile of spatial access ratio), decreased the odds of being diagnosed with advanced EAC stage in multivariate analysis (odds ratio [OR] 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53-0.99). Odds of dying from EAC were increased for patients residing in census tracts with highest poverty levels (OR 1.83; 95% 1.13-2.95). Residing in a non-rural area also showed inverse association with disease stage at diagnosis (OR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.67-1.08). Conclusion: We identified an inverse association between geographic proximity to gastroenterology providers and advanced stage of diagnosis of EAC, suggesting a relationship of access to care by endoscopists and clinical outcomes. Future studies could expand this analysis to national cancer registry data and include primary care providers in the analysis.

  PublisherDOI

• One‐year follow‐up of neurobehavioral therapy in functional seizures or epilepsy with traumatic brain injury: A nonrandomized controlled trial

  Epilepsia · 2024-10-10 · 12 citations

  article

  OBJECTIVE: Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often present with seizures (functional and/or epileptic), but treatments for patients with TBI and seizures are limited. We examined treatment phase and 1-year post-enrollment outcomes following neurobehavioral therapy (NBT) for patients with TBI + functional seizures (FS) and TBI + epilepsy. METHODS: In this multicenter, prospective, three-group, nonrandomized, controlled trial, with 1-year post-enrollment follow-up, three cohorts of adults were recruited: TBI + video-electroencephalography (EEG)-confirmed FS (n = 89), TBI + EEG-confirmed epilepsy (n = 29), and chart/history-confirmed TBI without seizures (n = 75). Exclusion criteria were recent psychotic or self-injurious behavior, current suicidal ideation, pending litigation or long-term disability, active substance use disorder, and inability to participate in study procedures. TBI + FS and TBI + epilepsy groups completed NBT for seizures, an evidence-based, 12-session, multimodal psychotherapy, whereas TBI without seizures participants received standard medical care. The primary outcome was change in seizure frequency; secondary outcomes were changes in mental health, TBI-related symptoms, disability, and quality of life. RESULTS: Reductions in average monthly seizures occurred during treatment in TBI + FS participants (p = .002) and were significant from baseline (mean = 16.75; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 11.44-24.53) to 12 months post-enrollment (mean = 7.28, 95% CI = 4.37-12.13, p = .002, d = .38). Monthly seizures decreased during treatment in TBI + epilepsy participants (p = .002); reductions were not statistically significant from baseline (mean = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.12-5.04) to 12-month postenrollment (mean = .98, 95% CI = .40-2.42, p = .07, d = .22). Regarding treatment-phase changes in secondary outcome measures, TBI + FS participants improved significantly on 10 of 19 variables (52.6%), TBI + epilepsy participants improved on five of 19 (26.3%), and TBI-only comparisons improved on only one of 19 (5.3%). SIGNIFICANCE: NBT benefited patients with TBI + FS and TBI + epilepsy. Improvements were demonstrated at 1 year post-enrollment in those with TBI + FS. NBT may be a clinically useful treatment for patients with seizures.

  PublisherDOI

• Exploring the Role of the Pulvinar Nucleus of the Thalamus in Occipital Lobe Epilepsy: A Case Report

  Cureus · 2024-01-18 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Understanding the role of the pulvinar nucleus may be critical for guiding circuit-targeted neurosurgical intervention in some patients. In this report, a 33-year-old female presented with focal onset occipital epilepsy with secondary generalization and with a previously radiated arteriovenous malformation within the right primary visual cortex. Phase II monitoring demonstrated the pulvinar nucleus was not involved in subclinical seizures restricted to the primary visual cortex, but it did become involved in clinical events with more extensive seizure spread into higher visual cortical regions. She underwent responsive neurostimulation (RNS) with implantation of leads within the primary visual cortex. This case demonstrates the late propagation of epileptic activity from the visual cortex to the pulvinar nucleus and illustrates the pulvinar nucleus' connections with higher-order visual areas.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Altered fronto-limbic-motor response to stress differs between functional and epileptic seizures in a TBI model

  Epilepsy & Behavior · 2024-06-24 · 3 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• A multicenter retrospective study of patients treated in the thalamus with responsive neurostimulation

  Frontiers in Neurology · 2023-09-08 · 41 citations

  articleOpen access

  Introduction: For drug resistant epilepsy patients who are either not candidates for resective surgery or have already failed resective surgery, neuromodulation is a promising option. Neuromodulatory approaches include responsive neurostimulation (RNS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), and vagal nerve stimulation (VNS). Thalamocortical circuits are involved in both generalized and focal onset seizures. This paper explores the use of RNS in the centromedian nucleus of the thalamus (CMN) and in the anterior thalamic nucleus (ANT) of patients with drug resistant epilepsy. Methods: This is a retrospective multicenter study from seven different epilepsy centers in the United States. Patients that had unilateral or bilateral thalamic RNS leads implanted in the CMN or ANT for at least 6 months were included. Primary objectives were to describe the implant location and determine changes in the frequency of disabling seizures at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and > 2 years. Secondary objectives included documenting seizure free periods, anti-seizure medication regimen changes, stimulation side effects, and serious adverse events. In addition, the global clinical impression scale was completed. Results: Twelve patients had at least one lead placed in the CMN, and 13 had at least one lead placed in the ANT. The median baseline seizure frequency was 15 per month. Overall, the median seizure reduction was 33% at 6 months, 55% at 1 year, 65% at 2 years, and 74% at >2 years. Seizure free intervals of at least 3 months occurred in nine patients. Most patients (60%, 15/25) did not have a change in anti-seizure medications post RNS placement. Two serious adverse events were recorded, one related to RNS implantation. Lastly, overall functioning seemed to improve with 88% showing improvement on the global clinical impression scale. Discussion: Meaningful seizure reduction was observed in patients who suffer from drug resistant epilepsy with unilateral or bilateral RNS in either the ANT or CMN of the thalamus. Most patients remained on their pre-operative anti-seizure medication regimen. The device was well tolerated with few side effects. There were rare serious adverse events. Most patients showed an improvement in global clinical impression scores.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• ACCEPTABILITY OF NON-ENDOSCOPIC SCREENING FOR BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS (BE) AMONG VETERANS ELIGIBLE FOR BE SCREENING

  Gastrointestinal Endoscopy · 2023-06-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• ACCEPTABILITY OF NON-ENDOSCOPIC SCREENING FOR BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS (BE) AMONG VETERANS ELIGIBLE FOR BE SCREENING

  Gastrointestinal Endoscopy · 2023-06-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Neurostimulation for Epilepsy

  Elsevier eBooks · 2023-01-01 · 5 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• W. Curt LaFrance

  Rhode Island Hospital

  112 shared

• Jennifer Davis

  Brown University

  55 shared

• Geoffrey Tremont

  Providence College

  55 shared

• Wael F. Asaad

  University Hospital of North Tees

  37 shared

• Leigh R. Hochberg

  Harvard University

  34 shared

• Donald L. Schomer

  30 shared

• Julie Roth

  30 shared

• Rachel Galioto

  Lou Ruvo Brain Institute

  24 shared

Labs

• Blum, Andrew Research LabPI

Education

• M.D.

  Cornell Medical College

  1989

• Ph.D.

  The Rockefeller University

  1988

Awards & honors

• Research Assistant, Howard Hughes Med. Inst., Johns Hopkins…
• Magna Cum Laude with Honors in Chemistry, Yale University, 1…
• Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) Award, The Rockefe…
• Second Prize, Resident Research Presentation, Maryland Neuro…
• Whitehurst Fellowship in Neuromuscular Diseases, Johns Hopki…