Origin

Walking along the 405 freeway while wearing a three-piece suit and holding a briefcase full of cash, it was clear his mind had slipped into a different world. It was that day that Dr. Amir Vokshoor and his family realized his father’s absent-mindedness and quirkiness in aging were actually symptoms of a progressing neurodegenerative disease — Alzheimer’s.

Prior to the diagnosis, his father was a diligent attorney who found particular joy in the gentler parts of life, like poetry and French Revolution history. His love for his family was steadfast; he was selfless, always eager to help those in need, and was regularly looking to be of service to others.

While caring for his father as both a son and a physician, Dr. Vokshoor observed his father’s daily well-being, noting which days were good and which were bad, especially as the disease progressed to later stages. He remembers that, “it was like my father was navigating potholes in his memory and train of thought. Some days he could maneuver around them, while others he fell in. As the disease progressed, those potholes got bigger and harder to circumvent.” What helped his father was more than just his medications; it was his quality of sleep, the food he enjoyed, and the activities he partook in that really helped ease the symptoms. Through this realization, Dr. Vokshoor became passionate about multidisciplinary approaches to treatment and healing.

As a celebration of his father’s legacy, Amir Vokshoor, MD, FAANS, founded the Institute of Neuro Innovation, combining his passions for the nervous system and innovation in healing with his father’s values of compassion and altruism. The abbreviation, INI, alludes to “I and I”, a way of saying “we” or “me and you together.” INI means not only Dr. Vokshoor and his father, but also the collective we, because our nervous systems are what connect us all and by working together we can alleviate suffering and enhance lives.

2009

Amir Vokshoor, MD, FAANS, founded the Institute of Neuro Innovation in memory of his late father who fought Alzheimer’s Disease.

2011

We gave our first research presentation on outcomes of minimally invasive spine surgery.

2015

We formally created our Advisory and Auxiliary Board.