Holger Volk
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Holger is Clinical Director of the RVC Small Animal Referral Hospital, Head of the Neurology & Neurosurgery service and currently a Senior Lecturer in Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Royal Veterinary College. He is a recognised RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Neurology. His main research interests are Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia and the treatment of canine and feline epilepsy.
Biography
Holger studied veterinary medicine at the Veterinary School of Hanover, Germany and at the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, France, which was partly funded by the German National Academic Foundation. He graduated from the Veterinary School of Hanover in June 2001. Following this, he started a German National Academic Foundation funded 3-year PhD programme in veterinary science at the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Pharmacy, Veterinary School of Hanover.
In July 2004, he finished his study about the underlying mechanisms of pharmacoresistant epilepsy and was awarded with a PhD, which was rewarded with the Domagk Prize of the pharmaceutical company Bayer. He then completed an internship and a residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery at The Royal Veterinary College in September 2007. In September 2008, he successfully passed the examination for the Diploma of the European College of Veterinary Neurology.
Holger is Clinical Director of the RVC Small Animal Referral Hospital, the Head of the Neurology & Neurosurgery service and currently a Senior Lecturer in Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Royal Veterinary College. He is also currently the Vice-President of the European College of Veterinary Neurology (ECVN)
Research
Holger’s main research interests are Chiari-like malformation/syringomyelia (CM/SM trust) and treatment of canine and feline epilepsy (Epilepsy Clinic Website).
Holger collaborates with many colleagues at the Royal Veterinary College Imelda McGonnell, Richard Piercy, Dan Chan, Jon Bowen, Siobhan Abeyesinghe, Charlotte Burn and others at the Royal Veterinary College. Holger also collaborates with many national and international groups in the field of neurosciences and Veterinary Neurology.
To learn more about Holger’s research projects at the Clinical Investigation Centre please visit the QMH Clinical Trials. To listen to Holger’s podcasts visit the Podcasts.
PhD students:
Ania Gieda (co-supervisor: Imelda McGonnell)
Emma Buckland (co-supervisors: Siobhan Abeyesinghe, Charlotte Burn)
Danielle Whittacker (co-supervisors: Imelda McGonnell, Albert Basson)
Tsz Law (co-supervisors: Elizabeth Want, Jon Bowen)
Colin Driver (co-supervisor: Luc van Ham)
Sofie van Mervenne (co-supervisor: Luc van Ham)
Teaching
Holger currently runs the Problem Solving in Veterinary Neurology module for the Senior Clinical Training Scholars and the Nervous System and Special Senses strand for the BVetMed undergraduate course, Advanced Veterinary Nursing Physiology module, and teaches final year students and Senior/Junior Clinical Training Scholars during their Neurology & Neurosurgery rotation. He has received the Jim Bee Educators Award in 2010 and 2012 for excellence in teaching.
The Neurology/Neurosurgery team provides many CPD courses. Examples of courses available include: Neurological emergencies, Feline Neurology, Epilepsy and Brain Disease/Spinal diseases in the Old and Young. Holger also runs a successfull eCPD course in Neurology.
Clinical
Holger works in the RVC Small Animal Referral hospital on all aspects of neurology and neurosurgery but his particular interests are canine and feline epilepsy (Tour). For more information on epilepsy and the epilepsy clinic at the QMHA please visit the Epilepsy Clinic Website.
Selected Publications
Editorial activities
Associate Editor of BMC Veterinary Research, Veterinary Surgery, Teratology Studies
Publications
Please click on the link for further information (google scholar).
Kearsley-Fleet, L., O’Neill, D., Volk, H.A., Church, D., Brodbelt, D., 2012. Prevalence and risk factors for canine epilepsy of unknown origin in the UK. Vet Rec (in press).
Driver, C., DeRisio, L., Hamilton, S., Rusbridge, C., Dennis, R., McGonnell, I., Volk, H.A., 2012. Changes over time in craniocerebral morphology and syringomyelia in cavalier King Charles spaniel. BMC VetRes 8: 215.
Driver, C., Chandler, K., Walmsley, G., Shihab, N., Volk, H., 2012. The association between Chiari-like malformation, ventriculomegaly and seizures in cavalier King Charles spaniels. Veterinary J (EPub ahead of print).
De Decker, S., Gielen, I.M.V.L, Duchateau, L., Volk, H.A., Van Ham, M.L., 2012. Intervertebral disk width is not associated with clinical status in dogs with and without disk associated cervical spondylomyelopathy. BMC Vet Research 8:126
Shaw, T.A., McGonnell, I., Driver, C., Rusbridge, C., Volk, H.A., 2012. Increase in cerebellar volume in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with Chiari-like malformation and its role in the development of syringomyelia. PLoS One 7:e33660.
Schmidt, M.J., Ondreka, N., Rummel, C., Volk, H.A., Sauerbrey, M., Kramer, M., 2012. Analysis of jugular foramen volumes of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with and without syringomyelia. BMC Vet Research 8:158.
Guevar, J., Shihab, N., English, K., Volk, H.A, 2012. Paraspinal and spinal mast cell tumour. JAVMA (in press).
Shihab, N., Benigni, L., Summers, B., McEvoy, A.W., Volk, H.A., 2012. Imaging diagnosis: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour presenting as an intra-axial brain mass in a young dog. Vet Rad Ultra (in press).
Shihab, N., Summers, B., Benigni, L., McEvoy, A.W., Volk, H.A., 2012. Novel approach to temporal lobectomy for removal of a cavernous hemangioma. Vet Surg (in press).
Finding, E., Fletcher, N., Avella, C., Volk, H., Weller, R., Dunkel, B., Piercy, R., 2012. Standing CT and clinical progression of equine cholesterol granulomata. Vet Rec 170, 289.
De Decker, S., Davies, E.S.S., Benigni, L., Wilson, H., Pelligand, L., Rayner, E.L., Shihab, N., Volk, H.A., 2012. Surgical treatment of an epidermoid cyst of the fourth ventricle in a Labrador retriever. Vet Surg 41: 766-771.
De Decker, S., Risio, L., Lowrie, M., Mauler, D., Beltran, E., Giedja, A., Kenny, P., Gielen, I., Garosi, L., Volk, H., 2012. Cervical Vertebral Stenosis Associated with a Vertebral Arch Anomaly in the Basset Hound. JVIM 26: 1374-1382.
Davies, E., Garosi, L., Behr, S., Volk, H.A., Summers, B., de Lahunta, A., 2012. Porencephaly and hydranencephaly in six dogs with seizures and abnormal mentation. Vet Record 170: 179.
Plessas, I., Jull, P., Volk, H.A., 2012. A case of canine discospondylitis and epidural empyema due to Salmonella species. Can Vet J (in press)
Torres, B.B.J., Martins, B.dC., Martins, G.D.C., Melo, E.G., Volk, H.A., 2012. Atualização em epilepsia canina parte II – terapia antiepiléptica. Medvep Revista Cientifica de Medicina Veterinaria Pequenos Animais e Animais de Estimacao. 10:1-9.
Loderstedt, S. & Volk, H.A., 2012. Potassium bromide as antiepileptic drug in canine epilepsy. Kleintiermedizin.
De Decker, S., da Costa, R., Volk, H.A., van Ham, L., 2012. Current insights and controversies in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy in dogs. Vet Rec 171: 531-537.
Jull, P., DeRisio, L., Horton, C., Volk, H.A., 2011. The effect of prolonged status epilepticus as a result of intoxication on epileptogenesis in a UK canine population. Vet Record 16: 359-360.
Rutherford, L., Wessmann, A., Rusbridge, C., McGonnell, I., Abayesinghe, S., Burn, C., Volk, H.A., 2011. A questionnaire based behaviour analysis of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with neuropathic pain due to Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia. Vet J (EPub ahead of print).
Torres, B.B.J., Martins, B.dC., Martins, G.D.C., Melo, E.G., Volk, H.A., 2011. Atualização em epilepsia canina - Parte I: Classificação, etiologia e diagnóstico. Medvep Revista Cientifica de Medicina Veterinaria Pequenos Animais e Animais de Estimacao. 9:1-9.
Volk, H.A. & Loderstedt, S., 2011. Classification and Diagnostics of seizure disorders. Kleintiermedizin 3:120-124.
Volk, H.A. & Loderstedt, S., 2011. Update on treatment of Epilepsy in dogs and cats. Kleintierprax 56: 649-664.
Volk, H.A., Matiasek, K., Shihab, N., 2011. Neuromuscular diseases in cats. JFMS 13:837-849.
Volk, H. A. & Davies, E. S. S., 2011. Sterile middle ear effusions: An incidental finding? Vet J 188: 256-257.
Parry, A. T. & Volk, H. A., 2011. Imaging the cranial nerves. Vet Rad Ultra 52: S32-S41.
Upchurch, J., McGonnell, I., Driver, C., Butler, L., Volk, H.A., 2011. Influence of head positioning on the assessment of Chiari-like malformation in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Vet Rec169: 177.
Schwartz, M., Lamb, C. R., Brodbelt, D. C., Volk, H.A., 2011. Canine intracranial neoplasia: Clinical risk factors for development of epileptic seizures. JSAP 52(12):632-7.
Shihab, N., Bowen, J., Volk, H.A., 2011. Behavioural changes in dogs associated with development of idiopathic epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior 21: 160-167.
Loderstedt, S., Benigni, L., Chandler, K., Cardwell, J.M., Rusbridge, C., Lamb, C., Volk, H.A., 2011. Distribution of syringomyelia along the entire spinal cord in clinically affected Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Vet J 190(3):359-63.
Whittacker, D., English, K., McGonnell, I., Volk, H. A., 2011. Evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels diagnosed with Chiari-like malformation with or without concurrent syringomyelia. J Vet Diag 23: 302-307.
Palus, V., Volk, H.A., Lamb, C., Cherubini, G.B., 2011. Magnetic resonance imaging features of central nervous system lymphoma. Vet Rad Ultra 53(1):44-9.
Shihab, N., Davies, E., Kenny, P., Volk, H.A., 2011. Management of hydrocephalus by ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement. Vet Surg Jun 40:477-484.
Costanzo, C., Garosi, L.S., Rusbridge, C., Stalin, C.E., Volk, H.A., 2010. Brain Abscess in 7 cats due to a bite wound: MRI findings, surgical management and outcome. JFMS 13: 672-680.
Jull, P., Walmsley, G.L., Benigni, L., Wenzlow, N., Rayner, E.L., Summers, B.A., Cherubini, G.B., Schoeninger, S., Volk, H.A., 2010. Clinical, imaging and pathological features of spinal cord haemangioma in two dogs. Vet Rad Ultra 52(6):653-7.
Loderstedt, S., Walmsley, G.W., Summers, B. A., Cappello, R., Volk, H.A., 2010. Neurological, imaging and pathological features of a leptomeningeal inflammatory pseudotumour in a Maltese terrier. JSAP 51:387-392.
Driver, C. J., Rusbridge, C., McGonnell, I., Volk, H. A., 2010. Morphometric Assessment of Cranial Volumes in Age-Controlled Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with and without Syringomyelia. Vet Rec 167: 978-979.
Driver, C. J., Rusbridge, C., Cross, H. R., McGonnell, I., Volk, H. A., 2010. Relationship of brain parenchyma in the caudal cranial fossa and ventricle size to Syringomyelia. JSAP 51: 382-386.
Wessmann, A., Volk, H.A., Chandler, K., Brodbelt, D., Sladovits, B., 2010. Significance of surface epithelial cells in canine cerebrospinal fluid and their relationship to nervous system disease. Vet Clin Path 39: 358-364.
Walmsley, G. L., Scurrell, E. Summers, B.A. Chandler, K.E. Volk, H.A. 2009. Brachial plexus root signature secondary to plant foreign body in a spaniel. VCOT 5:1-3.
Potschka, H., Volk, H.A., Pekcec, A., 2009. Aktueller Stand in der Epilepsietherapie. Tierärztliche Praxis 3:1-7.
Volk, H.A., Matiasek, L.A., Feliu-Pascual, A.L., Platt, S.R., Chandler, K.E., 2008. The efficacy and tolerability of Levetiracetam in pharmacoresistant epileptic dogs. Vet J 176:310-9.
Penning, V.A., Connolly, D.J., Gajanayake, I., McMahon, L.A., Luis Fuentes, V., Chandler, K.E., Volk, H.A., 2008. Seizure-like episodes in three cats with intermittent high grade atrioventricular dysfunction. JVIM 23: 200-205.
Chandler, K.E. & Volk, H.A., 2008. Seizures, intracranial or extracranial disease? In Practice 30:366-373.
Brandt, C., Glien, M., Gastens, A., Fedrowitz, M., Bethmann, K., Volk, H.A., Potschka, H., Löscher, W., 2008. Treatment with levetiracetam after status epilepticus: effect on epileptogenesis, neuronal damage, and behavioral alterations in rats. Neuropharm 53:207-21.
Hoffmann, K., Gastens, A.M., Volk, H.A., Löscher, W., 2006. Expression of the multidrug transporter MRP2 in the blood-brain barrier after pilocarpine-induced seizures in rats. Epilepsy Res 69, 1-14.
Volk, H.A., Arabadzisz, D., Fritschy, J.M., Brandt, C., Bethmann, K., Löscher, W., 2006. Antiepileptic drug-resistant rats differ from drug-responsive rats in hippocampal neurodegeneration and GABA(A) receptor ligand binding in a model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Neurobiol Dis 21, 633-646.
Wessmann, A., Volk, H.A., Shelton, G.D., Chandler, K.E., Baines, S., Cappello, R., 2006. Portosystemic shunt associated with severe episodic weakness. J Vet Intern Med 20: 1042-1044.
Volk, H., Potschka, H., Löscher, W., 2005. Immunohistochemical localization of P-glycoprotein in rat brain and detection of its increased expression by seizures are sensitive to fixation and staining variables. J Histochem Cytochem 53, 517-531.
Volk, H.A., Löscher, W., 2005. Multidrug resistance in epilepsy: rats with drug-resistant seizures exhibit enhanced brain expression of P-glycoprotein compared with rats with drug-responsive seizures. Brain 128, 1358-1368.
Brandt, C., Volk, H.A., Löscher, W., 2004. Striking differences in individual anticonvulsant response to phenobarbital in rats with spontaneous seizures after status epilepticus. Epilepsia 45, 1488-1497.
Potschka, H., Volk, H.A., Löscher, W., 2004. Pharmacoresistance and expression of multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein in kindled rats. Neuroreport 15, 1657-1661.
Volk, H.A., Potschka, H., Löscher, W., 2004. Increased expression of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein in limbic brain regions after amygdala-kindled seizures in rats. Epilepsy Res 58, 67-79.
Volk, H.A., Burkhardt, K., Potschka, H., Chen, J., Becker, A., Löscher, W., 2004. Neuronal expression of the drug efflux transporter P-glycoprotein in the rat hippocampus after limbic seizures. Neuroscience 123, 751-759.
Brandt, C., Glien, M., Potschka, H., Volk, H., Löscher, W., 2003. Epileptogenesis and neuropathology after different types of status epilepticus induced by prolonged electrical stimulation of the basolateral amygdala in rats. Epilepsy Res 55, 83-103.