Location: Gainesville Flunited States
Michael S. Okun, MD, is administrative director and co-director of the Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, and the Adelaide Lackner Professor of Neurology at the University of Florida. Dr. Okuns laboratory has focused on identifying the physiological brain signature patterns for Parkinsons disease, and also has been focused on the development of neurotechnology for a closed-loop solution to Parkinsons and tic disorders. Dr. Okun is an established movement disorders researcher with more than 300 peer-reviewed publications, and he has been principal investigator, co-principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple NIH Parkinsons disease intervention studies. Dr. Okun has been involved in many projects examining cognitive-limbic-motor basal ganglia function and deep brain stimulation. Finally, Dr. Okun has trained more than 30 MD fellows in microelectrode recording, implantation, management and troubleshooting of deep brain stimulation devices.
Parkinsons Disease Research At The Ctrnd
At the CTRND, we are ideally positioned to research and to develop the next generation of novel therapies for Parkinsons disease and related disorders. We have close ties to the the neurology and neuroscience departments, as well as the Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration Program at the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health. Although drugs and therapies are the goal, critical work begins here in the lab and at the bench where researchers try to understand the pathological mechanisms of these devastating diseases. Here the key to these disorders will be found.
The CTRND aims to be at the forefront of Parkinsons research with a primary goal of understanding the contribution of genes and the environment to Parkinsons disease. A better understanding of these factors will hopefully lead to development of biomarkers to detect and to help tract disease progression and to the development of potential novel therapeutics.
Dance For Life Eases Pain For Parkinsons Disease Patients
Regular physical exercise has been shown to improve quality of life for patients with Parkinsons disease , a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that causes tremors and difficulty with movement and coordination. To encourage PD patients to incorporate physical activity into their weekly routines, the Arts in Medicine Programs at the University of Florida in 2009 partnered with the University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration to launch the Dance for Life program, which offers supervised dance classes for patients three times per week.
In 2008, Jill Sonke, assistant director of Shands Arts in Medicine and director of the UF Center for Arts in Medicine, saw a YouTube video featuring a dance program for Parkinsons patients in Arizona. Sonke forwarded the video to colleagues in the UF Department of Neurology, and they decided the same day to institute the program for UFs PD patients. Each of the partners was equally compelled, not only by the promising early research that was being conducted on dance and PD, but also by the joyfulness of the experience of dancing for people with PD.
Dance for Life students and patients in action
Overall, the program strives to:
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Letter From The Director
Dear Patients, Families, Friends and Colleagues,
The vision of the VCU Parkinsonâs and Movement Disorders was born from the Movers and Shakers, a Richmond patient community group co-founded by Charles F. Bryan Jr., David C. Reynolds and the late Margaret Bemiss. With the goal of establishing a multidisciplinary center for the care and research of movement disorders in Richmond, the motivated group helped raise $5 million dollars and successfully advocated for matching funds from the VCU School of Medicine. Since its grand opening in 2011, a diverse group of smart, competent, and passionate providers and researchers has been doing just that.
The overarching goal of the PMDC is to positively impact the lives of people diagnosed with Parkinsonâs disease and other movement disorders while simultaneously supporting their families. To accomplish this goal, we focus on three main objectives: 1) providing advanced, comprehensive and compassionate clinical care to all our patients, 2) conducting cutting-edge and impactful research, and 3) providing exceptional education and training to the next generation of movement disorders specialists. Through dedication and determination in these pursuits, we aspire to help all those affected by movement disorders live their best lives possible.
Enhancing and expanding our multidisciplinary care models for Parkinsonâs disease and other movement disorders such as Huntingtonâs disease, and ataxia.
Sincerely,
Parkinson’s Treatment Spanish Edition: 10 Secrets To A Happier Life
Kindle Edition March 14, 2013
Un gran libro hecho para sus pacientes con Parkinson con el fin de educarlos sobre el padecimiento y brindarles un apoyo a lo largo de este camino.Habla sobre diversos temas del Parkinson desde los sÃntomas, el diagnóstico, tratamiento, complicaciones, cirugÃa, entre otros en un lenguaje práctico y entendible.Pueden bajarlo de Amazon.com con el tÃtulo: Parkinson’s Treatment Spanish Edition: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life. Ahorita está a la venta en Kindle Edition
Un gran libro hecho para sus pacientes con Parkinson con el fin de educarlos sobre el padecimiento y brindarles un apoyo a lo largo de este camino.Habla sobre diversos temas del Parkinson desde los sÃntomas, el diagnóstico, tratamiento, complicaciones, cirugÃa, entre otros en un lenguaje práctico y entendible.Pueden bajarlo de Amazon.com con el tÃtulo: Parkinson’s Treatment Spanish Edition: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life. Ahorita está a la venta en Kindle Edition, pronto saldrá impreso.
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Parkinsons Network Of Excellence
A Network of Excellence is comprised of multiple, independent medical sites that together provide high-quality, patient-centered and multi-disciplinary care to people with Parkinsons disease within a specific country or region. A Network demonstrates exemplary care, innovative research, a commitment to medical professional training and educating the community of people with and affected by Parkinsons.
Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery
Deep Brain Stimulation surgery involves placement of a wire electrode into the brain. This electrode is connected to a stimulator that is similar to a heart pacemaker. Patients with this implant can interrupt brain signals that cause tremors by switching on the stimulator with a handheld control. The experienced neurosurgeons at UHealth have performed more than 600 of these procedures.
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* Information On Novel Coronavirus From Penn Medicine *
CENTERS STATEMENT REGARDING COVID-19
We would like to inform you we are still learning about the novel coronavirus. As of now, we know everyone can get COVID-19, as it is very contagious. The issue is that, once you have it, risk factors for severe disease include being older and having previous conditions, such as lung disease, heart disease, or diabetes. There is no specific comment made about Parkinsons Disease so far. We would strongly recommend everyone to stay home, avoid close contact with others and only go out if absolutely needed to buy food, medications, etc., again avoiding close contact. No restaurants, gym, social gatherings, etc.
If you would like to learn more about COVID-19 and PD, please visit the Parkinsons Foundation at the link listed below.
Center Of Excellence Network
The Parkinson’s Foundation has designated 47 medical centers around the world as “Centers of Excellence,” including 33 in the United States. A Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence is a medical center with a specialized team of neurologists, movement disorder specialists, physical and occupational therapists, mental health professionals and others who are up to date on the latest Parkinson’s disease medications, therapies and research to provide the best care.
The Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence status is the most respected and sought-after designation in the movement disorders field, with each center required to meet rigorous clinical, research, professional education and patient care criteria.
Centers of Excellence:
- Provide expert care to more than 193,500 people with PD
- Set the highest standards of care worldwide for people with PD
- Advance research to improve the lives of everyone with Parkinson’s treated at centers and beyond, and for future generations
- Provide patient education programs, community outreach programs and specialized Parkinson’s training for healthcare professionals
The Parkinson’s Foundation brings the Centers of Excellence together annually for a “Center Leadership Conference” to provide updates on care and research initiatives. Every center must re-certify after five years to ensure requisite standards of care.
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Progressive Supranuclear Palsy & Atypical Parkinsonism Center Of Care Clinic
In response to a critical need for care and research in this area our group decided in 2010 to pull together existing resources and to push forward toward a Center of Excellence for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy & Atypical Parkinsonian Disorders. The Center is now recognized as a CurePSP Center of Care.
Fsu College Of Medicine Research Links Parkinsons Disease And Neuroticism
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New research from the Florida State University College of Medicine has found that the personality trait neuroticism is consistently associated with a higher risk of developing the brain disorder Parkinsons disease.
The research by Professor of Geriatrics Antonio Terracciano and team, published in Movement Disorders, found that adults in the study who scored in the top quartile of neuroticism had more than 80% greater risk of Parkinsons, compared to those who scored lower on neuroticism.
Some clinicians think that the anxiety and depression is just the result of Parkinsons, Terracciano said. However, our findings suggest that some emotional vulnerability is present early in life, years before the development of Parkinsons disease.
The effects were similar for women and men and across socioeconomic strata. Furthermore, the association was virtually unchanged in models that excluded incident cases within the first five years of follow-up and remained significant in models that accounted for demographic variables and other risk factors, including smoking, physical activity, anxiety and depression.
Three similar studies have published results consistent with Terraccianos findings, but with smaller sample sizes. Collectively, they provide a pretty robust and replicable assessment of the link between neuroticism and Parkinsons, Terracciano said.
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Program Serves As Foundation For Research
In 2012, the Parkinson Research Foundation awarded the UF Center for the Arts in Medicine a grant to study the effect of dance on PD patients. UF staff conducted a qualitative pilot study with dance class participants in 2009 to better understand how the disease was affecting various areas of their lives. Participants then described the physical, cognitive, social and emotional impacts of joining the dance class.
The pilot study helped the Center develop its research agenda and garner a grant from the Parkinson Research Foundation to support a major study now being conducted in partnership with the University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration. The studys general hypothesis is that dance, like aerobic activity, potentiates neuroplasticity, particularly in the frontal lobes and, thus, enhances behavioral measures of walking ability, balance, cognition and language production in people who participate in the Dance for Life program.
The University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration has a grant from the National Institutes on Aging to assess aerobic exercise and targeted balance exercise under this same hypothesis, and the grant funds have allowed the Center for Arts in Medicine to add a grant group to the larger study. According to Sonke, the study will be broader in scale than any other research currently available on how dance impacts Parkinsons disease.
Italy: Fresco Network A Parkinsons Network Of Excellence
The Fresco Network is a Parkinson’s Network of Excellence. It is comprised of multiple, independent medical sites that together provide high-quality, patient-centered and multi-disciplinary care to people with Parkinsons disease within a specific country or region. The Network demonstrates exemplary care, innovative research, a commitment to medical professional training and educating the community of people with and affected by Parkinsons.
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Parkinson’s Disease And Movement Disorders Center At The University Of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Neurology provides comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and management for all types of movement disorders. Movement disorders are complex neurological disorders that affect your ability to produce and control bodily movements. Movement disorders occur when changes in the brain cause either abnormal, excessive, involuntary movements or slower, delayed movements.
Recognized by the Parkinson Foundation as one of 45 worldwide Centers of Excellence, the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center is one of the largest of its kind in the country and the most pre-eminent in the Philadelphia region, providing care to thousands of patients each year.
Types of Movement Disorders
To learn more about Parkinson’s Disease and other resources !
A Brief History of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center
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Florida Parkinson Foundation Center Of Excellence
The University of Florida Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration was created in July 2002 and remains one of the most vibrant, most collaborative, and most rapidly growing Centers in the McKnight Brain Institute and College of Medicines enterprise. Since the launch of the center the growth has been exponential. It now forms the core of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases.
The Parkinson Foundations Centers of Excellence are chosen by a peer-review committee that bases designation on an individual centers demonstrated excellence, their resources, and their dedication to Parkinson research, clinical care and outreach initiatives. COEs are renewed competitively every three years and now site visited and certified.
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Welcome To Theparkinsons Disease & Movement Disorders Parkinsons Foundation Center Of Excellence
Our Center is dedicated to providing expert evaluationand care for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disordersincluding:
- Parkinsons Disease
- Essential Tremor
- Restless Leg Syndrome
We have been recognized as a Parkinsons Foundation Center of Excellence. OurCenter fosters a multi-disciplinary team approach to providethe highest quality of care. Our core team membersinclude:
- Clinical Research Coordinators
- Staff and administrative support
Themission of our Center is to advancepatient care and researchin Parkinson’s diseaseand other movement disorders. The Centeremphasizes clinical research,testing new medicaland surgical treatment options. We utilize this knowledge to provide cuttingedge care to patients, to serve as an international leader inthe advancement of disease management, and to educatestudents, residents, and other physicians.
The motto of our Center is: “Hope throughresearch.” Numerous clinical trials are conducted at the Center as we continually strive to develop better treatments. We are a Parkinson Study Group and an NIH Neuroprotective Exploratory Trials site.Developing medications to slow or stop the progression of disease is a top priority. Patients seen at our Center may be offered an opportunity to participate in clinical trials and we’d be happy todiscuss ongoing trials by phone.
Tomake an appointment please call: 396-0751
For more information regarding clinical researchplease call: 396-0768
The Parkinsons Disease News Forums Are A Place To Connect With Other Patients Share Tips And Talk About The Latest Research Check Them Out Today
I was amazed. The patients who can see a movement disorder specialist in one of these centers must be so well taken care of. I think one of the main reasons is that there are accountability and integrity within these organizations. What does that mean to us as patients? We are better cared for, and the care we receive should be, according to their mission, top quality.
I happened upon a Center of Excellence because one of my doctors was a part of one. I can vouch for the fact that they truly exemplify excellence.
If you are not satisfied with the care you are receiving, feel your medical team may not be up to date with the latest care for you as their patient, or you just want to see if a change in care is warranted, get in touch with one near you . Its definitely worth the call and maybe even the drive.
Barrow Neurological Institute, Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center
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What Makes Our Parkinsons Center Of Excellence Unique
The University of Florida Health PF Center of Excellence is under the leadership of Irene Malaty, M.D. The independent reviewers and PF staff cited UF as one of the leading centers in the COE network stating that the UF Center was among one of the truly interdisciplinary clinical-research enterprises in the entire network. UF has been cited as, a place for other centers to visit, to see how well care and research can be delivered.
With the support of the Parkinson Foundation and the designation as a Center of Excellence, plus other foundation, federal, pharmaceutical, and philanthropic support, we have grown our team to include support from the University of Florida including the
- McKnight Brain Institute
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease
- Neurology
- Epidemiology and Health Policy Research
- Applied Physiology and Kinesiology
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Parkinson’s And Movement Disorders Center
The Virginia Commonwealth University Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center strives to be a premier model for improving the lives of individuals with movement disorders, their families, and the community through its commitment to excellence in comprehensive interdisciplinary clinical care, translational research, education and outreach.
Lewy Body Dementia Association Research Center Of Excellence
The Lewy Body Dementia Association Research Center of Excellence award recognizes centers nationwide who have distinguished experts in the diagnosis and management of Lewy body dementia and creates a network of research centers committed to developing safe and effective treatment for people living with the disease.
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