At Hartford HealthCare's Ayer Neuroscience Institute, we’ve taken the concept of a second opinion to a new level.

Each week, all our specialists—neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, neurointensivists, and neuro-critical care nurses—meet to review each individual case. Together, they pool their knowledge and experience to give you the most advanced treatment plan possible.


National MS Society

Center for Comprehensive MS Care

National Association of Epilepsy Centers

Level 4 Epilepsy Center 

2021 & 2022

The Joint Commission

National Quality Approval

Awards & Accreditations


Meet our Neurosciences Specialists:

Name Specialties Location
Justine Cormier, MD Justine Cormier, MD 860.545.5000
  • Neurocritical Care
  • Hartford
Stephen Beres, APRN, PMHNP Stephen Beres, APRN, PMHNP 860.545.7550
  • Psychiatry
  • Wethersfield
Lisa V. Knopf, MD Lisa V. Knopf, MD
4.9 /5
45 surveys
860.972.3600
  • Neurology
  • Hartford
Benjamin Dorfman, MD Benjamin Dorfman, MD
4.8 /5
154 surveys
860.870.6385
  • Neurology
  • Torrington
Navdeep Singh Lail, MD Navdeep Singh Lail, MD 860.886.1433
  • Vascular Neurology
  • Norwich
  • Norwich
Show Less
Sheila Santhappa, MD Sheila Santhappa, MD 860.496.6666
  • Neurology
  • Torrington
Jay David Kenkare, MD Jay David Kenkare, MD 860.496.6820
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Torrington
Yan Zhang, MD, PhD Yan Zhang, MD, PhD
4.8 /5
53 surveys
860.972.3600
  • Neurology
  • Hartford
Ajay Mohan Tunguturi, MD Ajay Mohan Tunguturi, MD 860.972.3621
  • Neurology
  • Hartford
Gabriel Martz, MD, FAES Gabriel Martz, MD, FAES 860.972.3600
  • Neurology
  • Enfield