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Albert James Fessler, M.D.

Albert James Fessler, M.D.

Contact

Appointment (585) 341-7500
Fax (585) 756-2311
Administrative (585) 275-9403

About Me

A. James Fessler, MD, is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Chief of the Intraoperative Monitoring Service at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. His clinical interests are in both epilepsy and intraoperative neurophysiology.

Dr. Fessler completed undergraduate studies a...
A. James Fessler, MD, is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Chief of the Intraoperative Monitoring Service at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. His clinical interests are in both epilepsy and intraoperative neurophysiology.

Dr. Fessler completed undergraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University and graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, TN. He completed his Neurology residency at Duke University Medical Center and his fellowship training in Clinical Neurophysiology with a focus in Epilepsy and EEG at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He was on faculty at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis before joining the faculty of the University of Rochester in 2004.

He is board certified in Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology, Epilepsy Monitoring and Sleep Medicine. He is an active member of many professional organizations including the American Academy of Neurology, the American Epilepsy Society, and the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society. Prior to becoming Chief of the Division of Epilepsy, Dr. Fessler was Director for Clinical Research at the Strong Epilepsy Center. He has been active as Principal Investigator in multiple clinical trials, and his current research interests include psychiatric aspects of epilepsy and the surgical treatment of partial seizures.

Faculty Appointments

Adjunct Professor - Department of Neurology, Epilepsy (SMD)

Credentials

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

Fellow in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology (Electroencephalography), Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 1999 - 2001

Resident in Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Divison of Neurology, Department of Medicine 1996 - 1999

Intern in Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Department of Medicine 1995 - 1996

Education

Fellowship | Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic. Clinical Neurophysiology (Electroencephalography and Epilepsy. 2001

Residency | Duke University School of Medicine. Neurology. 1999

Internship | Duke University. Internal Medicine. 1996

MD | Vanderbilt Univ Sch Medicine. Medicine. 1995

BA | Johns Hopkins University. Behavioral Biology. 1991

Awards

Strong Stars for commitment to service excellence. 2007 - 2008

American Clinical Neurophysiology Society – Travel Award. 2000

National Epifellows Foundation – Sixth Annual Scientific Forum. 1998

Associated Professional Sleep Societies – Travel Award. 1998

Selection for Merritt-Putnam Epilepsy Update. 1997

Graduation with Departmental Honors (Behavioral Biology). 1991

Research

Prior to becoming Chief of the Division of Epilepsy, Dr. Fessler was Director for Clinical Research at the Strong Epilepsy Center. He has been active as Principal Investigator in multiple clinical trials, and his current research interests include psychiatric aspects of epilepsy and the surgical tre...
Prior to becoming Chief of the Division of Epilepsy, Dr. Fessler was Director for Clinical Research at the Strong Epilepsy Center. He has been active as Principal Investigator in multiple clinical trials, and his current research interests include psychiatric aspects of epilepsy and the surgical treatment of partial seizures.

Publications

Journal Articles

Nine-year prospective efficacy and safety of brain-responsive neurostimulation for focal epilepsy.

Nair DR, Laxer KD, Weber PB, Murro AM, Park YD, Barkley GL, Smith BJ, Gwinn RP, Doherty MJ, Noe KH, Zimmerman RS, Bergey GK, Anderson WS, Heck C, Liu CY, Lee RW, Sadler T, Duckrow RB, Hirsch LJ, Wharen RE, Tatum W, Srinivasan S, McKhann GM, Agostini MA, Alexopoulos AV, Jobst BC, Roberts DW, Salanova V, Witt TC, Cash SS, Cole AJ, Worrell GA, Lundstrom BN, Edwards JC, Halford JJ, Spencer DC, Ernst L, Skidmore CT, Sperling MR, Miller I, Geller EB, Berg MJ, Fessler AJ, Rutecki P, Goldman AM, Mizrahi EM, Gross RE, Shields DC, Schwartz TH, Labar DR, Fountain NB, Elias WJ, Olejniczak PW, Villemarette-Pittman NR, Eisenschenk S, Roper SN, Boggs JG, Courtney TA, Sun FT, Seale CG, Miller KL, Skarpaas TL, Morrell MJ

Neurology.. 2020 September 195 (9):e1244-e1256. Epub 07/20/2020.

Evaluation of phenytoin serum levels following a loading dose in the acute hospital setting.

Selioutski O, Grzesik K, Vasilyeva ON, Hilmarsson Á, Fessler AJ, Liu L, Gross RA

Seizure.. 2017 November 52 :199-204. Epub 10/16/2017.

Brain-responsive neurostimulation in patients with medically intractable seizures arising from eloquent and other neocortical areas.

Jobst BC, Kapur R, Barkley GL, Bazil CW, Berg MJ, Bergey GK, Boggs JG, Cash SS, Cole AJ, Duchowny MS, Duckrow RB, Edwards JC, Eisenschenk S, Fessler AJ, Fountain NB, Geller EB, Goldman AM, Goodman RR, Gross RE, Gwinn RP, Heck C, Herekar AA, Hirsch LJ, King-Stephens D, Labar DR, Marsh WR, Meador KJ, Miller I, Mizrahi EM, Murro AM, Nair DR, Noe KH, Olejniczak PW, Park YD, Rutecki P, Salanova V, Sheth RD, Skidmore C, Smith MC, Spencer DC, Srinivasan S, Tatum W, Van Ness P, Vossler DG, Wharen RE, Worrell GA, Yoshor D, Zimmerman RS, Skarpaas TL, Morrell MJ

Epilepsia.. 2017 June 58 (6):1005-1014. Epub 04/07/2017.

Reliability of seizure semiology in patients with 2 seizure foci.

Rathke KM, Schäuble B, Fessler AJ, So EL

Archives of neurology.. 2011 June 68 (6):775-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Reliability of seizure semiology in patients with 2 seizure foci

Rathke KM; Schauble B; Fessler AJ; So EL.

Arch Neurol. 2011; 68(6): 775-8.

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis causing prolonged nonconvulsive status epilepticus.

Johnson N, Henry C, Fessler AJ, Dalmau J

Neurology.. 2010 October 1975 (16):1480-2. Epub 09/08/2010.

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis causing prolonged nonconvulsive status epilepticus

Johnson N; Henry C; Fessler AJ; Dalmau J.

Neurology. 2010; 75(16): 1480-20.

Epilepsy and aggression: proceed with caution.

Fessler AJ, Treiman DM

Neurology.. 2009 November 2473 (21):1720-1. Epub 10/28/2009.

Subjective perception of cognition is related to mood and not performance.

Marino SE; Meador KJ; Loring DW; Okun MS; Fernandez HH; Fessler AJ; Kustra RP; Miller JM; Ray PG; Schoenberg MR; Vahle VJ; Werz MA.

Epilepsy Behav. 2009; 14(3): 459-464.

Epilepsy and Aggression: Proceed with Caution (editorial).

Fessler AJ; Treiman DM.

Neurology. 2009; 73(21): 1720-1.

Psychiatric co-morbidity in 75 patients undergoing epilepsy surgery: lack of correlation with pathological findings.

Siegel AM, Cascino GD, Fessler AJ, So EL, Meyer FB

Epilepsy research.. 2008 August 80 (2-3):158-62. Epub 05/15/2008.

Subtraction ictal single-photon emission computed tomography coregistered to magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating the need for repeated epilepsy surgery.

Wetjen NM, Cascino GD, Fessler AJ, So EL, Buchhalter JR, Mullan BP, O'Brien TJ, Meyer FB, Marsh WR

Journal of neurosurgery.. 2006 July 105 (1):71-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Cognitive and behavioral effects of lamotrigine and topiramate in healthy volunteers.

Meador KJ, Loring DW, Vahle VJ, Ray PG, Werz MA, Fessler AJ, Ogrocki P, Schoenberg MR, Miller JM, Kustra RP

Neurology.. 2005 June 2864 (12):2108-14. Epub 1900 01 01.

Self-reported seizure frequency and time to first event in the seizure monitoring unit.

Eisenman LN, Attarian H, Fessler AJ, Vahle VJ, Gilliam F

Epilepsia.. 2005 May 46 (5):664-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Correlation of severity of FDG-PET hypometabolism and interictal regional delta slowing in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Erbayat Altay E, Fessler AJ, Gallagher M, Attarian HP, Dehdashti F, Vahle VJ, Ojemann J, Dowling JL, Gilliam FG

Epilepsia.. 2005 April 46 (4):573-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Systematic screening allows reduction of adverse antiepileptic drug effects: a randomized trial.

Gilliam FG, Fessler AJ, Baker G, Vahle V, Carter J, Attarian H

Neurology.. 2004 January 1362 (1):23-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Levetiracetam reduces spike-wave density and duration during continuous EEG monitoring in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy.

Gallagher MJ, Eisenman LN, Brown KM, Erbayat-Altay E, Hecimovic H, Fessler AJ, Attarian HP, Gilliam FG

Epilepsia.. 2004 January 45 (1):90-1. Epub 1900 01 01.

The effects of remifentanil on epileptiform discharges during intraoperative electrocorticography in patients undergoing epilepsy surgery.

Wass CT, Grady RE, Fessler AJ, Cascino GD, Lozada L, Bechtle PS, Marsh WR, Sharbrough FW, Schroeder DR

Epilepsia.. 2001 October 42 (10):1340-4. Epub 1900 01 01.

Stroke treatment with tissue plasminogen activator in the setting of aortic dissection.

Fessler AJ, Alberts MJ

Neurology.. 2000 February 2254 (4):1010. Epub 1900 01 01.