Dr. Gulnara Dzhaksybekova

Dr. Gulnara Dzhaksybekova is a consultant neurologist at Astana Medical University Teaching Hospital in Nur-Sultan — Kazakhstan's capital city and one of the country's most rapidly developing medical centers. With 16 years of neurology practice, Dr. Dzhaksybekova provides comprehensive neurological care to patients from across Kazakhstan, with particular expertise in stroke, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy.

Her stroke neurology work is integrated into the hospital's stroke care pathway, providing rapid neurological assessment and IV thrombolysis for eligible acute ischemic stroke patients. She manages secondary stroke prevention programs addressing hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atrial fibrillation — the leading risk factors for stroke in Kazakhstan's population.

Her multiple sclerosis practice is particularly significant in Central Asia, where MS awareness and diagnostic access are developing. She diagnoses MS using McDonald criteria with MRI and CSF analysis and prescribes disease-modifying therapies including interferon-betas, glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, and high-efficacy options for appropriate patients. She runs a dedicated MS clinic at Astana Medical University Teaching Hospital.

For epilepsy, she performs and interprets EEG, manages antiseizure medications, and coordinates evaluation for drug-resistant cases. She is an Associate Professor at Astana Medical University and is committed to neurology education in Kazakhstan. She communicates in Kazakh, Russian, and English.

Dr. Dzhaksybekova obtained her MD from Astana Medical University and completed Neurology residency at Astana Medical University Teaching Hospital. She undertook advanced neurology training in Germany at the University Hospital of Cologne's neurology department, with subspecialty training in stroke and MS. She holds a PhD in Neurology from Astana Medical University and the FEAN (Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology) designation. She is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Astana Medical University. Her Cologne training provided intensive exposure to German stroke unit protocols, acute MS management with high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies, and the European approach to epilepsy monitoring — all of which she has applied to the development of neurology services at Astana Medical University Teaching Hospital.

Dr. Dzhaksybekova's neurology practice covers acute and chronic neurological disease. In acute stroke, she administers IV alteplase for eligible patients, interprets MRI diffusion-weighted imaging, and manages secondary prevention with antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants. In MS, she diagnoses using McDonald criteria and manages all approved disease-modifying therapies, monitoring patients on high-efficacy agents including natalizumab and ocrelizumab. For epilepsy, she performs EEG interpretation, prescribes and titrates antiseizure medications, and coordinates video-EEG for drug-resistant cases. She performs lumbar puncture for CSF analysis, EMG/NCS for peripheral neuropathy, and botulinum toxin injections for chronic migraine and spasticity. She manages Parkinson's disease with dopaminergic pharmacotherapy and cognitive assessment.

Dr. Dzhaksybekova has published in the Kazakhstan Medical Journal and contributed to EAN registry data. She participates in the Kazakhstan Neurological Society and presents at the national neurology conference and EAN annual congress. She collaborates with German neurology centers through the established academic exchange.

Astana Medical University Teaching Hospital serves Kazakhstan's domestic population and receives referrals from neighbouring Central Asian countries including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan for specialist neurological assessments not available locally. Dr. Dzhaksybekova consults in Kazakh, Russian, and English. Russian serves as the common regional language across Central Asia. Video consultations are available for neurological second opinions and chronic disease management, particularly useful for patients in remote areas of Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries who cannot easily travel to Astana. The hospital provides coordination for international patients including documentation, visa letters, and specialist referral coordination. She also provides video neurological consultations for Kazakhstani patients living abroad in Russia, Europe, and the Gulf who require specialist neurology input in Kazakh or Russian.

Dr. Dzhaksybekova has been recognized by the Kazakhstan Neurological Society for her contributions to MS awareness and stroke care in Kazakhstan. She is an Associate Professor at Astana Medical University and participates in EAN educational programmes for the Central Asian region. She received the Kazakhstan Neurological Society Research Award for her PhD work on ischaemic stroke genetics in the Kazakh population and was recognised by the European Academy of Neurology through her FEAN designation for her contributions to neurology education. She has been invited as a faculty speaker at EAN annual congresses on Central Asian neurology service development.