Physician Profile
Dr. Denys is an
adult neurologist, certified by the American
Board of Psychiatry and Neurology since 1978 (See also: The American
Board
of Medical Specialties ABMS).
He
has been involved in research, teaching, and clinical care at CPMC
since
1974, and the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF). He is
also a
diplomat of the American Board
of
Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM).
Dr. Denys trained as a neurologist at one of the oldest universities in Europe, the Catholic University of Leuven, established in 1425. He continued his training in neurology at Stanford University and the Mayo Clinic and was a fellow of the Muscular Dystrophy Association of America. Dr. Denys has extensive experience in the treatment of neurological disorders.
An associate clinical professor in neurology at the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF), he also teaches physicians in training at CPMC. He has been listed in the "Best Doctors in America" since its second edition in 1994, a national, non-membership listing of physicians based on recommendations by their peers, and in the "Top Bay Area Physicians".
In 2006, he was the recipient of the prestigious J. Elliott Royer M.D. Award for contributions to the field of neurology. In 2011, Dr. Denys received the Charlotte Baer Memorial Award, the most prestigious award from the Association of the Clinical Faculty and the School of Medicine of the University of California San Francisco for excellence in teaching.
Dr. Denys has been very active in professional organizations. He has held numerous positions at the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, currently known as the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM), a national organization for physicians dedicated to education in the field of electromyography (EMG). Dr. Denys has served as President of both the Association of the Clinical Faculty at UCSF and the San Francisco Neurological Society. He is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association of California Neurologists (ACN), an organization dedicated to improving neurological care for patients in California.
He has a special interest in diseases and injuries of the peripheral nerves and spine. Dr. Denys has special expertise in electrodiagnostic techniques, usually referred to as electromyography or EMG. Many of these tests are performed at the recommendation of other physicians, including neurologists. Dr. Denys has been involved in the education of physicians specializing in electrodiagnostic medicine for over 25 years.
Dr. Denys has
published more than 50 scientific papers and lectured
extensively.
Dr. Denys specializes in the use of Botulinum for the treatment of spasmodic torticollis and other movement disorders, sometimes referred to as dystonia. Botulinum is also used to treat spasticity in patients with cerebral palsy or stroke. Dr. Denys was involved in the use of Botulinum (also known as Botox®) from the very beginning, since the medication was first developed at California Pacific Medical Center by his colleague and friend Dr. Allan Scott. Dr. Denys was part of the team which performed the first ever successful plasma exchange to treat Myasthenia Gravis.
Dr. Denys has a long standing interest in Multiple Sclerosis.
Many patients with neurological disorders experience pain. There can be multiple causes, some of which may be amenable to simple interventions.
