Education

Biography

Dr. Calixto Machado graduated as MD in 1976. He continued his medical training to become Specialist in Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, First Degree in 1980, and Second Degree in 1984. In 1994 he became PhD, and in 2002 he was the youngest Dr. in Sciences (PhD ‐ Second Degree) in his country. Dr. Machado received clinical training in specialized neurology centers in Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Italy, Austria, and the US.   During the last 30 years he has run many research protocols, such as: brain death, coma, persistent vegetative states and other disorders of consciousness, stroke, autism, etc. He has published more than 450 peer reviewed articles, book chapters, and 7 books. His Book “Brain Death: A Reappraisal” has been recognized with great enthusiasm among neurologist, neurosurgeons, intensivists, and physicians specialized in transplants.   In 1992, he was the first Cuban neurologist who was a member of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), nominated as a Corresponding Fellow. He has been the President of the Organizing Committee of eight International Symposia on Brain Death, and Disorders of Consciousness, since the early 90’s.   During these symposia he has organized many continuing education courses in neurology and neuroscience. Despite long held political and administrative differences between the USA and Cuba, Dr. Machado has been a stalwart and consistent friend and collaborator of the AAN going back 30 years. As an AAN, Corresponding Fellow, attracted other Cuban colleagues and even students not only to become members but also to attend AAN meetings, at a time when travel and financial restrictions were extremely difficult to obtain. Dr. Machado has continuously demonstrated a strong desire to develop and maintain close relations between U.S.‐based and Cuban Neuroscientists, and hence he is recognized by many AAN Members as the “remaining bridge among American and Cuban neurologists”.

Research Interest

Disorders of consciousness, coma, Brain Death, Autism, Heart Rate Variability for Autonomic Function Assessment in different neurological diseases, stroke, neuromonitoring in ICU, neurocritical care, SARS‐CoV‐2 and the nervous system.

Scientific Activities:

Teaching Experience

• Main Professor of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology in the residency program at the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana, Cuba.
• Dr. Machado has offered dozens of courses to residents of neurology, critical care, anesthesia, internal medicine, on the diagnosis of brain death.
• He has been invited in Latin‐American countries and in the US to offer dozens of courses, in topics such as brain death, disorders of consciousness, clinical neurophysiology, stroke, end‐of life ethical dilemmas, etc.
• During his eight International Symposia on Brain Death and Disorders of Consciousness, he has organized many continuing education courses in neurology and different topics of bioethics and neuroscience, attended by neurologists from Cuba, Latin‐America, and the US.
• His Faculty appointments as visiting professor includes: Miami University (Department of Neurology, Department of Philosophy and Bioethics), Memorial Sloan‐Kettering Cancer and Cornell University in New York, the Institute of Neurology at Columbia University, the Neuroanesthesia and Neurocritical Care Service at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the George Washington University, and the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Jacksonʹs Memorial Center in Miami. In these centers he has presented lectures, and has also given continuing education courses on different topics of neurology.  
• Main Professor of several pre‐graduate courses on neuroanatomy and physiology of the nervous system in the medical career.
• He has been the mentor 45 physicians running their residency programs to become neurologists, and 18 PhD aspirants, many of them from Latin‐ American countries, and from the US.
• Faculty in the AAN Annual Meeting Courses.

Honors and Awards

Publications

1. Machado C (2020) Reader response: Early postmortem brain MRI findings in COVID‐19 non‐survivors. Neurology.
2. Machado C (2020) Reader response: Tapia syndrome at the time of the COVID‐19 pandemic: Lower cranial neuropathy following prolonged intubation. Neurology.
3. Machado C (2020) Reader response: COVID‐19 presenting with ophthalmoparesis from cranial nerve palsy; Neurology.
4. Machado C (2020) Reader response: Neurologists and COVID‐19: A note on courage in a time of uncertainty. Neurology 94.
5. Machado C (2020) Reader response: Preserving stroke care during the COVID‐19 pandemic‐Potential issues and solutions. Neurology.
6. Machado C (2020) Reader response: Neurologic complications of coronavirus infections. Neurology 95: 322‐323.
7. Machado C (2020) Severe COVID‐19 Cases: Is Respiratory Distress Partially Explained by Central Nervous System Involvement? MEDICC Review 22: 3839.
8. Machado C, Gutierrez JV (2020) Anosmia and ageusia as initial or unique symptoms after SARS‐COV‐2 virus Infection. Preprint.org.
9. Machado C, Brainstem GJ (2020) Dysfunction in SARS‐COV2 Infection Can Be a Potential Cause of Respiratory Distress. Preprint.org.
10. Machado C (2020) Reader response: Critical illness‐associated cerebral microbleeds in COVID‐19 acute respiratory distress syndrome. Neurology.
11. Machado C, DeFina PA, Gonzalez‐Quevedo A (2020) Reader response: COVID‐19‐related encephalopathy responsive to high doses glucocorticoids. Neurology.
12. Machado C (2020) Reader response: Brain death evaluation during the pandemic. Neurology.
13. Machado C, Gonzalez‐Quevedo A (2020) Reader response: Neurochemical evidence of astrocytic and neuronal injury commonly found in COVID‐19. Neurology.
14. Machado C (2020) Happy or silent hypoxemia: an urgent dilemma in medical care of covid‐19 patients (Viewpoint to MEDICC Review).
15. Machado C, DeFina PA (2020) Can SARS‐CoV‐2 invade the brain through an ocular route? Preprint.
16. Machado C, DeFina PA, Yanin M, Chinchilla M (2020) Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome as an important risk factor in severe covid-19 disease.
17. Machado C, McMath J (2020) A new state of disorder of consciousness. J Neurosurg Sci.
18. Drobný M, Sániová BD, Peter J, Machado C, Marianna L (2019) EEG signal qualitative and quantitative changes in Task Negative Network (TNN-DMRSN) under delirium-obnubilation. Brain, Body, Cognition 9: 21-34.
19. Machado C, DeFina PA, Machado Y, Chinchilla M, Machado Y (2020) Continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) should be used in all covid‐19 patients when the first and mild respiratory symptoms commence. MEDICC Review.
20. Machado C, DeFina PA, Machado Y, Chinchilla M, Machado Y (2020) Brainstem Dysfunction in SARS‐COV‐2 Infection can be a Potential Cause of Respiratory Distress. Neurol India 68: 989-993.
21. Machado C, DeFina PA (2020) Reader response: Acute necrotizing encephalopathy with SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA confirmed in cerebrospinal fluid. September. Neurology 95.
22. Machado C, DeFina PA (2020) Dexamethasone might improve respiratory distress by reducing edema and/or inflammatory processes in the brainstem, caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 invasion. Brain, Body and Cognition.
23. Machado C, DeFina PA (2020) Whole brain vs. brainstem standards in posterior fossa lesions. Brain, Body and Cognition.
24. Machado C, DeFina PA (2020) Can SARS‐CoV‐2 invade the brain through an ocular route? Preprint.
25. Machado C (2020) Reader response: Fatal necrotizing encephalitis associated with COVID‐19: A case report. Neurology.
26. Machado C (2020) Is There a Right to Delay Determination of Death by Neurologic Criteria? JAMA.