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Rees Cosgrove, MD, Neurosurgery, Boston, MA

Rees Cosgrove MD FRCSC

Neurosurgery•Boston, MA

Epilepsy Surgery, Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery

Chief, Division of Functional Neurosurgery, Mass General Brigham

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  • 75 Francis StBoston, MA 02115

  • Phone+1 617-732-6858

  • Fax+1 617-713-3050

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Summary

  • Rees Cosgrove, MD, is a neurosurgeon located in Boston, MA, specializing in epilepsy surgery and stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. He completed his medical education at Queen's University and neurosurgery residency training at the Montreal Neurological Institute. He has held various prestigious roles, including Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at Lahey Clinic and Rhode Island Hospital at Brown University School of Medicine. He is currently Chief of the Division of Functional Neurosurgery at Mass General Brigham. His expertise includes normal pressure hydrocephalus, epilepsy surgery, deep brain stimulation, movement disorders, essential tremor, and Parkinson's disease. Dr. Cosgrove has numerous publications in key neuroscience journals and has been involved in clinical trials addressing advanced Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's Disease, functional imaging and MR-guided Focused Ultrasound. He is a past President of the American Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery and currently ex-officio on the board of the World Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. Dr. Cosgrove has received a number of honors, including the Gold Medal in Surgery of Queen's University, the Wilder Penfield Award of the Montreal Neurological Institute, the Daniel Federman Outstanding Educator Award of Harvard Medical School, an Honorary Litchfield Lectureship at Oxford University and an Honorary Masters of Arts from Brown University. He has also been an Honored Guest at the Indian Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, the American Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, the Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Quebec Association of Neurosurgeons, and the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia.

Clinical Expertise

  • Normal pressure hydrocephalus, Essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, Chronic pain, Neurosurgical oncology, Neurosurgical spine surgery, Stereotactic and functional surgery, Medical education, Epilepsy surgery, High-intensity focused ultrasound, Neurosurgery

Education & Training

  • Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University
    Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill UniversityChief Residency, 1985 - 1986
  • National Hospital for Nervous Diseases
    National Hospital for Nervous DiseasesHonorary Registrar, 1984 - 1985
  • Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge
    Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of CambridgeSenior Registrar, Neurosurgery, 1984 - 1985
  • Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University
    Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill UniversityResidency, 1981 - 1984
  • Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University
    Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill UniversityIntern, 1980 - 1981

Certifications & Licensure

  • MA State Medical License
    MA State Medical License 1986 - 2028
  • RI State Medical License
    RI State Medical License 2010 - 2016
  • Neurological Surgery
    American Board of Neurological Surgery Neurological Surgery
  • Neurosurgery
    Royal College of Surgeons, CanadaNeurosurgery

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • Honored Guest Neurosurgical Society of Australasia, 2019
  • Honored Guest Association of Quebec Neurosurgeons, 2019
  • CMS Meaningful Use Stage 1 Certification Outgoing Public Health Reporting from EpicCare Functionality, Epic Systems Corporation, 2016-2017

Clinical Trials

Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Journal Articles

  • Microscale spatiotemporal dynamics during neocortical propagation of human focal seizures  
    Wagner FB, Eskandar EE, Cosgrove GR, Madsen JR, Blum AS, Potter NS, Hochberg LR, Cash SS, Truccolo W, NeuroImage, 1/1/2015
  • Obituary: Charles A Fager MD  
    Freidberg SR, Cosgrove GR, David CA, Tarlov EC, Neurosurgery, 1/1/2014
  • Penetrating brain injury after suicide attempt with spear gun: Case study and review of the literature  
    Williams JR, Aghion DM, Cosgrove GR, Doberstein CE, Asaad WF, Front Neurology, 1/1/2014

Books/Book Chapters

  • Youman's Neurological Surgery 
    Chapter: A History of Psychosurgery 
    Cosgrove GREditors: Winn HR.Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia, PA2015
  • Image-Guided Neurosurgery 
    Chapter: Imaging-Guided Surgery for Epilepsy 
    Asaad W, Cosgrove GREditors: Golby AJ.Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia, PA2015
  • Neurosurgical treatments for Psychiatric Disorders 
    Chapter: Ablative Surgery for Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Past, Present and Future 
    Chodakiewitz Y, Williams J, Chodakiewitz J, Cosgrove GREditors: Sun B and DeSalles A.Springer Verlag, Netherlands2015

Abstracts/Posters

  • Abnormalities in cerebral cortical thickness in trigeminal neuropathic pain patients with surgical ablation of the trigeminal ganglion.
    Moulton EA, Cosgrove GR, Becerra L, Borsook D, Pain, 1/1/2009
  • Deep brain stimulation of the anterior internal capsule for the treatment of Tourette's Syndrome: technical case report.
    Flaherty A, Williams ZM, Amirnovin R, Kasper E, Rauch SL, Cosgrove GR, Eskandar EN, Neurosurgery, 1/1/2005
  • Minimal access temporal lobectomy: Surgical technique and clinical outcome.
    Amirnovin R, Cosgrove GR, Neurosurgery, 1/1/2005

Lectures

  • "Imaging and Epilepsy: The Key to Surgical Success" 
    Boston, MA - 1/1/2015
  • "Principles of Stereotactic Surgery and Complication Avoidance" 
    Salt Lake City, UT - 1/1/2015
  • "Neuromodulation" 
    Boston, MA - 1/1/2015

Press Mentions

  • 'No-Touch Brain Surgery' Brings an End to Decades of Living with Tremor
    'No-Touch Brain Surgery' Brings an End to Decades of Living with TremorNovember 4th, 2025
  • Finding Relief From Dystonia: Paul’s Story
    Finding Relief From Dystonia: Paul’s StorySeptember 15th, 2025
  • Scientists Map Optimal Brain Site for Treating Essential Tremor
    Scientists Map Optimal Brain Site for Treating Essential TremorMay 13th, 2025

Professional Memberships

Other Languages

  • French

External Links

  • BWH Neurosurgeryhttp://www.brighamandwomens.org/departments_and_services/neurosurgery/default.aspx

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