Kaltra Dhima, PhD

Assistant Professor
Clinical Neurology

Dr. Kaltra Dhima is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center within the Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Division. As a clinical neuropsychologist, she conducts comprehensive cognitive assessments of adults with various neurological conditions. She primarily conducts pre- and postoperative evaluations within the Vanderbilt Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Program on patients with movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease (PD), essential tremor, and dystonia. She also completes preoperative evaluations for patients with epilepsy. The remainder of Dr. Dhima’s clinical work spans across various patient populations, such as those with neurodegenerative conditions and cerebrovascular disease.

She completed her undergraduate studies at Boston University, from where she graduated cum laude with a double major in Neuroscience and Psychology. She subsequently spent three years working with patients with PD as a Clinical Research Coordinator within the Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center Biomarker Study. Dr. Dhima completed her Ph.D. and clinical internship in Clinical Psychology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Prior to coming to VUMC, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Dhima has a longstanding commitment to professional service and has been active in several local, regional, and national organizations. She has served on several committees within the National Academy of Neuropsychology and is currently on the Social Media Committee. She is also a member of the International Neuropsychological Society, American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, and the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology.

Research Information

Dr. Dhima’s primary line of research relates to neuropsychological functioning, including DBS outcomes, in movements disorders. She also enjoys collaborating on studies that span across different topics such as teleneuropsychology, multiple sclerosis, sarcoidosis, and normal pressure hydrocephalus.