Victoria Pelak, MD
Professor, Neurology

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Medical School:
  • MD, Wayne State University School of Medicine (1994)
Undergraduate School:
  • BA, Kalamazoo College (MI) (1987)
Internship:
  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (1995)
Residency:
  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Neurology (1998)
Fellowships:
  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Neuro-Ophthalmology (1999)
Languages: English
Department: Neurology

Professional Titles

  • Professor, Neurology and Ophthalmology
  • Director, Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellowship
  • Vice Chair Faculty Affairs and Promotions, Neurology

Recognition & Awards

  • Best Doctors in America, Peers (2015)
  • AWARE, Alzheimer's Association (2012)
    Helen J. Ginsburg Visionary Award
  • Research Abstract, 10th International Congress on Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Diseases (2011)
    Particularly Important Development in the Field

Publications

  • Abraham AG, Hong C, Deal JA, Bettcher BM, Pelak VS, Gross A, Jiang K, Swenor B, Wittich W. Are cognitive researchers ignoring their senses? The problem of sensory deficit in cognitive aging research. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2023 May;71(5):1369-1377. PubMed PMID: 36680402
  • Holden SK, Bettcher BM, Filley CM, Lopez-Paniagua D, Pelak VS. Posterior white matter integrity and self-reported posterior cortical symptoms using the Colorado Posterior Cortical Questionnaire. Front Neurol. 2023;14:1072938. PubMed PMID: 36816576
  • Thaker AA, McConnell BV, Rogers DM, Carlson NE, Coughlan C, Jensen AM, Lopez-Paniagua D, Holden SK, Pressman PS, Pelak VS, Filley CM, Potter H, Solano DA, Heffernan KS, Bettcher BM. Astrogliosis, neuritic microstructure, and sex effects: GFAP is an indicator of neuritic orientation in women. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Jun 30;113:124-135. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 37394144
  • Holden SK, Bettcher BM, Filley CM, Lopez-Paniagua D, Pelak VS. Posterior white matter integrity and self-reported posterior cortical symptoms using the Colorado Posterior Cortical Questionnaire. Front Neurol. 2023;14:1072938. PubMed PMID: 36816576
  • Abraham AG, Hong C, Deal JA, Bettcher BM, Pelak VS, Gross A, Jiang K, Swenor B, Wittich W. Are cognitive researchers ignoring their senses? The problem of sensory deficit in cognitive aging research. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2023 May;71(5):1369-1377. PubMed PMID: 36680402
  • Thaker AA, McConnell BV, Rogers DM, Carlson NE, Coughlan C, Jensen AM, Lopez-Paniagua D, Holden SK, Pressman PS, Pelak VS, Filley CM, Potter H, Solano DA, Heffernan KS, Bettcher BM. Astrogliosis, neuritic microstructure, and sex effects: GFAP is an indicator of neuritic orientation in women. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Oct;113:124-135. PubMed PMID: 37394144
  • Pelak VS, Tang-Wai DF, Boeve BF, Bouwman FH, Graff-Radford J, Rabinovici G, Holden SK, Townley RA, Day GS, Whitwell J, Ossenkoppele R, Boon BDC, Putcha D, Onyike CU, Snyder H, Crutch S, Yong KXX. Consensus recommendations for clinical assessment tools for the diagnosis of posterior cortical atrophy syndrome from the Atypical AD PIA of ISTAART. Alzheimer Dement. 2023;15:e12474. doi:10.1002/dad2.12474
  • Matthews E, Tyler KL, Pelak VS, Pastula DM. Beware of abbreviations: John Cunningham (JC) versus Jamestown Canyon virus. Br J Ophthalmol. 2023. https://bjo.bmj.com/content/beware-abbreviations-john-cunningham-jc-versus-jamestown-canyon-virus
  • Abbott K, Pelak V. Case Report: Topiramate-associated bilateral monocular diplopia, palinopsia, and photopsia. Clinical Insights in Eyecare. 2023;1(2).
  • Lattanzio L, Buard I, McKendrick AM, Chan YM, Pelak VS. Repetitive TMS pilot trial for visual snow syndrome: adverse event report. Brain Stimul. 2023;16:5-6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2023.07.020
  • Grove NC, Pelak VS, Christopher KL, Wagner BD, Lynch AM, Patnaik JL. Cataract phacoemulsification in people with dementia: characterization and outcomes. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. Published 16 Nov 2023. doi: 10.1080/09286586.2023.2279113
  • Grove NC, Patnaik JL, Taravella M, Pelak VS. Neuroadaptation to multifocal intraocular lens: factors contributing to satisfaction. 14th International Conference on Low Vision Rehabilitation. 2023
  • Pelak VS, Taravella M, Grove NC, Patnaik JL. Neuroadaptability to Multifocal Intraocular Lens after Cataract Extraction: Pilot Evidence of an Association with Cognition. Annals of Neurology Volume 94 Supplement 30, 2023.
  • Pelak VS, Mahmood A, Abe-Ridgway K. Perspectives and a Systematic Scoping Review on Longitudinal Profiles of Posterior Cortical Atrophy Syndrome. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2022 Nov;22(11):803-812. PubMed PMID: 36242715
  • Holden SK, Pelak VS, Sooy T, Heffernan KS, McConnell BV, Pressman PS, Bettcher BM. Development of the Colorado posterior cortical questionnaire within an Alzheimer's disease study cohort. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2022 Apr;44(3):226-236. PubMed PMID: 35913095
  • Pelak VS. The clinical approach to the identification of higher-order visual dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2022 Apr;22(4):229-242. PubMed PMID: 35320467
  • Kletenik I, Ferguson MA, Bateman JR, Cohen AL, Lin C, Tetreault A, Pelak VS, Anderson CA, Prasad S, Darby RR, Fox MD. Network Localization of Unconscious Visual Perception in Blindsight. Ann Neurol. 2022 Feb;91(2):217-224. PubMed PMID: 34961965
  • White OB, Fielding J, Pelak VS, Schankin CJ. Editorial: Visual Snow: Old Problem, New Understanding. Front Neurol. 2022 Apr 15;13:884752. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.884752. Erratum in: Front Neurol. 2022 Jul 01;13:969405. PMID: 35493832; PMCID: PMC9051336.
  • Scott GD, Arnold MR, Beach TG, Gibbons CH, Kanthasamy AG, Lebovitz RM, Lemstra AW, Shaw LM, Teunissen CE, Zetterberg H, Taylor AS, Graham TC, Boeve BF, Gomperts SN, Graff-Radford NR, Moussa CEH, Poston KL, Rosenthal LS, Sabbagh MN, Walsh RR, Weber MT, Armstrong MJ, Bang JA, Bozoki AC, Domoto-Reilly K, Duda JE, Fleisher JE, Galasko DR, Galvin JE, Goldman JG, Holden SK, Honig LS, Huddleston DE, Leverenz JB, Litvan I, Manning CA, Marder KS, Pantelyat AY, Pelak VS, Scharre DW, Sha SJ, Shill HA, Zoltan M, Quinn JF, Irwin DJ. Fluid and Tissue Biomarkers of Lewy Body Dementia: Report of an LBDA Symposium. Front Neurol. Accepted for publication on January 31, 2022. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.805135
  • Nathan C. Grove BS, Victoria S. Pelak MD, Karen L. Christopher MD, Brandie D. Wagner PhD, Anne M. Lynch MB, BCH, BAO, MSPH, Jennifer L. Patnaik PhD. “Cataract phacoemulsification in dementia patients: Characterization and outcomes”. Abstract 3708586. Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Denver, CO. May 1-4, 2022.
  • Pelak VS. An Older Patient With Difficulty Reading. J Neuroophthalmol. 2021 Sep 1;41(3):e414. PubMed PMID: 34415286
  • Majersik JJ, Ahmed A, Chen IA, Shill H, Hanes GP, Pelak VS, Hopp JL, Omuro A, Kluger B, Leslie-Mazwi T. A shortage of neurologists - we must act now: a report from the AAN 2019 Transforming Leaders Program. Neurol. 2021;96:1122-1134. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012111.
  • High B, Hixon AM, Tyler KL, Piquet AL, Pelak VS. Neurology and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Gathering Data for an Informed Response. Neurol Clin Pract. 2021 Apr;11(2):e48-e63. PubMed PMID: 33842072
  • Hixon AM, Thaker AA, Pelak VS. Persistent visual dysfunction following posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome due to COVID-19: Case series and literature review. Eur J Neurol. 2021 Jun 11. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34115917
  • AAN NeuroBytes: Optic Neuritis: Red Flags in the Diagnosis https://learning.aan.com/diweb/catalog/item?id=6487678 Accessed on November 3, 2021
  • AAN NeuroBytes: NeuroBytes: Approach to Transient Monocular Vision Loss https://learning.aan.com/diweb/catalog/item?id=6486639 Accessed on November 3, 2021
  • Pelak VS. Visual cortical disorders. In: Della Sala S, ed. Encyclopedia of Behavioral Neuroscience, 2nd Edition. Elsevier Science. 2021:579-586. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819641-0.00055-4.
  • Pelak VS, Holden SK, Crutch SJ, Yong, Keir XX. Platform Presentation. Survey outcomes on neuropsychological testing in posterior cortical atrophy. 2021 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Denver, CO, July 26, 2021
  • Scott GD, Arnold MR, Beach TG, Gibbons CH, Kanthasamy AG, Lebovitz RM, Lemstra AW, Shaw LM, Teunissen CE, Zetterberg H, Taylor AS, Graham TC, Boeve BF, Gomperts SN, Graff-Radford NR, Moussa CE-H, Poston KL, Rosenthal LS, Sabbagh MN, Walsh RR, Weber MT, Armstrong MJ, Bang JA, Bozoki AC, Domoto-Reilly K, Duda JE, Fleisher JE, Galasko DR, Galvin JE, Goldman JG, Holden SK, Honig LS, Huddleston DE, Leverenz JB, Litvan I, Manning CA, Marder KS, Pantelyat AY, Pelak VS, Scharre DW, Sha SJ, Shill HA, Zoltan M, Quinn JF, Irwin DJ. Fluid and Tissue Biomarkers of Lewy Body Dementia: Report of an LBDA Symposium. Virtual Event, January 25, 2021. doi:10.20944/preprints202109.0133.v1
  • Grande M, Lattanzio L, Buard I, McKendrick AM, Chan YM, Pelak VS. A Study Protocol for an Open-Label Feasibility Treatment Trial of Visual Snow Syndrome With Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Front Neurol. 2021;24(12):724081. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.724081.
  • Holden SK, Bettcher BM, Pelak VS. Update on posterior cortical atrophy. Curr Opin Neurol. 2020 Feb;33(1):68-73. PubMed PMID: 31688098
  • Chen JJ, Flanagan EP, Bhatti MT, Jitprapaikulsan J, Dubey D, Lopez Chiriboga ASS, Fryer JP, Weinshenker BG, McKeon A, Tillema JM, Lennon VA, Lucchinetti CF, Kunchok A, McClelland CM, Lee MS, Bennett JL, Pelak VS, Van Stavern G, Adesina OO, Eggenberger ER, Acierno MD, Wingerchuk DM, Lam BL, Moss H, Beres S, Gilbert AL, Shah V, Armstrong G, Heidary G, Cestari DM, Stiebel-Kalish H, Pittock SJ. Steroid-sparing maintenance immunotherapy for MOG-IgG associated disorder. Neurology. 2020 Jul 14;95(2):e111-e120. PubMed PMID: 32554760
  • Holden SK, Bettcher BM, Pelak VS. Update on posterior cortical atrophy. Curr Opin Neurol. 2020 Feb;33(1):68-73. PubMed PMID: 31688098
  • Martin Paez Y, Bennett JL, Subramanian PS, Pelak VS. Considerations for the Treatment of Inflammatory Neuro-Ophthalmologic Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Neuroophthalmol. 2020 Sep;40(3):305-314. PubMed PMID: 32804456
  • Olds JJ, Hills WL, Warner J, Falardeau J, Alasantro LH, Moster ML, Egan RA, Cornblath WT, Lee AG, Frishberg BM, Turbin RE, Katz DM, Charley JA, Pelak VS. Posterior Cortical Atrophy: Characteristics From a Clinical Data Registry. Front Neurol. 2020;11:358. PubMed PMID: 32581988
  • Potter H, Boyd TD, Clarke P, Pelak VS, Tyler KL. Recruiting the innate immune system with GM-CSF to fight viral diseases, including West Nile Virus encephalitis and COVID-19. F1000Res. 2020;9:345. PubMed PMID: 32704352
  • High B, Hixon AM, Tyler KL, Piquet AL, Pelak VS. Neurology and the COVID-19 pandemic: Gathering data for an informed response. Neurol Clin Pract. 2020. Accepted and first published July 19, 2020. DOI: 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000908.
  • Liu Y, Pelak VS, van Stavern G, Moss HE. Higher Cortical Dysfunction Presenting as Visual Symptoms in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurol. 2020;11:679. PubMed PMID: 32903759
  • Berliner JM, Kluger BM, Corcos DM, Pelak VS, Gisbert R, McRae C, Atkinson CC, Schenkman M. Patient perceptions of visual, vestibular, and oculomotor deficits in people with Parkinson's disease. Physiother Theory Pract. 2020 Jun;36(6):701-708. PubMed PMID: 29979909
  • Mejia-Vergara AJ, Restrepo-Jimenez P, Pelak VS. Optical coherence tomography in mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Neurol. 2020;11(1231). doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.578698
  • Hall DA, Leehey MA, Hagerman RJ, Pelak VS. Eye Movements in Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome. J Neuroophthalmol. 2020 Oct 23. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33110011
  • Marin Paez Y, Patnaik JL, Lynch AM, Churney T, Jasso MC, Subramanian P, Mandava N, Holden SK, Pelak VS. Do Unrecognized Neurodegenerative Diseases Impact Age-Related Eye Disease Research Outcome Measures?" North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society 46th Annual Meeting, Amelia Island, FL, March 10, 2020.
  • Bou Ghannam AS, Mehner LC, Pelak VS. Sialidosis Type 1 Without Cherry-Red Spot. J Neuroophthalmol. 2019 Sep;39(3):388-390. PubMed PMID: 31107347
  • Pressman PS, Gola K, Shdo SM, Miller BL, Fredericks C, Mielke C, Pelak V, Rankin KP. Relative preservation of facial expression recognition in posterior cortical atrophy. Neurology. 2019 Mar 5;92(10):e1064-e1071. PubMed PMID: 30760634
  • Schofield JR, Palestine AG, Pelak V, Mathias MT. Deep capillary retinal ischemia and high-titer prothrombin-associated antiphospholipid antibodies: A case series of three patients. Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep. 2019 Jun;14:105-109. PubMed PMID: 31011663
  • Pelak VS, Berman BD. Transient Daily Episodes of Vision Loss Due to Parkinson's Disease. Neuroophthalmology. 2019 Aug;43(4):260-264. PubMed PMID: 31528193
  • Holden SK, Van Dok E, Pelak VS. Co-occurrence of Convergence Insufficiency and Cognitive Impairment in Parkinsonian Disorders: A Pilot Study. Front Neurol. 2019;10:864. PubMed PMID: 31447772
  • Pelak VS, Hills W. Vision in Alzheimer's disease: a focus on the anterior afferent pathway. Neurodegener Dis Manag. 2018 Feb;8(1):49-67. PubMed PMID: 29359625
  • Jones W, Silkworth W, Dusto N, Pelak VS, Berliner J, Buard I, Kluger B. Central Visual Oscillopsia: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Cogn Behav Neurol. 2018 Jun;31(2):86-95. PubMed PMID: 29927799
  • Pelak VS. The Visual Snow Conference: May 5, 2018, University of California San Francisco. J Neuroophthalmol. 2018 Sep;38(3):e17-e18. PubMed PMID: 29985800
  • Berliner JM, Kluger BM, Corcos DM, Pelak VS, Gisbert R, McRae C, Atkinson CC, Schenkman M. Patient perceptions of visual, vestibular, and oculomotor deficits in people with Parkinson's disease. Physiother Theory Pract. 2018 Jul 6;:1-8. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29979909
  • Chen JJ, Flanagan EP, Jitprapaikulsan J, López-Chiriboga ASS, Fryer JP, Leavitt JA, Weinshenker BG, McKeon A, Tillema JM, Lennon VA, Tobin WO, Keegan BM, Lucchinetti CF, Kantarci OH, McClelland CM, Lee MS, Bennett JL, Pelak VS, Chen Y, VanStavern G, Adesina OO, Eggenberger ER, Acierno MD, Wingerchuk DM, Brazis PW, Sagen J, Pittock SJ. Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody (MOG-IgG)-Positive Optic Neuritis: Clinical Characteristics, Radiologic Clues and Outcome. Am J Ophthalmol. 2018 Jul 26. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30055153
  • Kumpe DA, Seinfeld J, Huang X, Mei Q, Case DE, Roark CD, Subramanian PS, Lind KE, Pelak VS, Bennett JL. Dural sinus stenting for idiopathic intracranial hypertension: factors associated with hemodynamic failure and management with extended stenting. J Neurointerv Surg. 2017 Sep;9(9):867-874. PubMed PMID: 27935482
  • Crutch SJ, Schott JM, Rabinovici GD, Murray M, Snowden JS, van der Flier WM, Dickerson BC, Vandenberghe R, Ahmed S, Bak TH, Boeve BF, Butler C, Cappa SF, Ceccaldi M, de Souza LC, Dubois B, Felician O, Galasko D, Graff-Radford J, Graff-Radford NR, Hof PR, Krolak-Salmon P, Lehmann M, Magnin E, Mendez MF, Nestor PJ, Onyike CU, Pelak VS, Pijnenburg Y, Primativo S, Rossor MN, Ryan NS, Scheltens P, Shakespeare TJ, Suárez González A, Tang-Wai DF, Yong KXX, Carrillo M, Fox NC. Consensus classification of posterior cortical atrophy. Alzheimers Dement. 2017 Aug;13(8):870-884. PubMed PMID: 28259709
  • Hua JT, Hildreth KL, Pelak VS. Effects of Testosterone Therapy on Cognitive Function in Aging: A Systematic Review. Cogn Behav Neurol. 2016 Sep;29(3):122-38. PubMed PMID: 27662450
  • Hildreth KL, Van Pelt RE, Moreau KL, Grigsby J, Hoth KF, Pelak V, Anderson CA, Parnes B, Kittelson J, Wolfe P, Nakamura T, Linnebur SA, Trujillo JM, Aquilante CL, Schwartz RS. Effects of pioglitazone or exercise in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and insulin resistance: a pilot study. Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2015 Jan-Apr;5(1):51-63. PubMed PMID: 25852732
  • Hildreth KL, Van Pelt RE, Moreau KL, Grigsby J, Hoth KF, Pelak V, Anderson CA, Parnes B, Kittelson J, Wolfe P, Nakamura T, Linnebur SA, Trujillo JM, Aquilante CL, Schwartz RS. Effects of pioglitazone or exercise in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and insulin resistance: a pilot study. Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2015 Jan-Apr;5(1):51-63. PubMed PMID: 25852732
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Professional Memberships

  • American Academy of Neurology, Member
  • North American Neuro-ophthalmology Society, Member
  • Colorado Society of Clinical Neurologists, Member
  • Colorado Clinical and Transational Science Inst., Member
  • Center for Neuroscience, Member
  • Rocky Mountain Region Neurosciences Group, Member
  • American Neurological Association, Member

Practice Locations

UCHealth Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center
1675 Aurora Ct
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-2020

Hospital Affiliation
  • University of Colorado Hospital

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Neurology, Board Certification (1999)
  • Behavioral Neurology
  • Neuro-ophthalmology
  • Neuro-Ophthalmology, Specialized Training (1999)
  • Behavioral Neurology - Certified, Specialized Training (0001)
Conditions & Treatments
  • Eyes and Vision
  • Brain and Nervous System
  • Eyes and Vision - Neuro-Ophthalmology

General Information

Medical Schools:
  • MD, Wayne State University School of Medicine (1994)
Undergraduate Schools:
  • BA, Kalamazoo College (MI) (1987)
Internships:
  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (1995)
Residency Programs:
  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Neurology (1998)
Fellowships:
  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Neuro-Ophthalmology (1999)
Download CV
Languages: English
Department: Neurology
SOM Resources
CU Resources
Contact Us
CU Anschutz
Fitzsimons Building
13001 East 17th Place
Campus Box C290
Aurora, CO 80045

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