Last fall, D Magazine profiled UT Southwestern’s Dr. Juan Pascual, the Spanish-born neurologist who is a physician of last resort for patients all over the world when they run out of answers about their brain condition.
Pascual’s unique and innovative outlook on treating brain disease has led to a committed patient base and numerous accolades in his work running UT Southwestern’s Rare Brain Disorder Program.
Several things set him apart. First is his love of philosophy and respect for the power of language. Especially with brain disorders, he knows that a patient’s emotional state and psychology can be just as important as the physical issues. He focuses on how a patient describes their pain and the other stressing factors in their life before treating their physical symptoms. He also looks at dietary or other non-pharmaceutical answers to problems in a world that is heavily linked to western medicine.
His critical eye and suspicion of established routines and treatments have made him one of the most celebrated pediatric neurologists in the country. “I have a keen sense of spotting nonsense, probably too well developed,” he says. “I see nonsense a mile away. I always see the holes. I see the gaps. Show me something beautiful, and I can poke holes in it.”
Read the entire D Magazine feature here.