Section Head

Joel S. Perlmutter, MD

The clinical activities of the movement disorders section take place at our Movement Disorders Center. We are a multidisciplinary center staffed by movement disorder specialists, including adult and child neurologists, a neuropsychiatrist, research nurses, occupational and physical therapists, and clinical and research fellows. We diagnose and treat persons with a variety of movement-related disorders. To assist our patient population, laboratory testing and radiology services are available within the same complex.

We specialize in researching and treating all movement disorders in adults and children, including:

• Parkinson's disease and related illnesses
• Dystonia (torticollis, blepharospasm, spasmodic dysphonia, writer's cramp, and others)
• Surgical treatment of movement disorders
• Huntington's disease and other choreas
• Tourette syndrome (including associated OCD and ADHD symptoms)
• Startle syndromes
• Myoclonus
• Ataxia
• Medication-induced movement disorders
• Catatonia

To reach us:

for appointments: (314) 362-6908
for information on clinical studies: (314) 362-6514

The Movement Disorders Section offers several different fellowship opportunities that emphasize training in either clinical movement disorders, research or both. Most applicants spend from 2-3 years in the training program. Visit the program description for more information.

Staff & Research Interests:

Joel S. Perlmutter, MD
Main research interests include neuroimaging, basal ganglia physiology and pharmacology, mechanisms of deep brain stimulation, pathophysiology of dystonia, development of new agents to reduce nigrostriatal injury and electronic medical records systems.

Kevin J. Black, M.D.
Main research interests include development of methods for pharmacologic activation studies using neuroimaging, pathophysiology of affective disorders in Parkinson disease, treatment of psychiatric abnormalities associated with PD and pathophysiology of Tourette's syndrome

Susan Criswell, MD
Main research interest is in the identification and understanding of risk factors for development of Parkinsonism.

Gammon Earhart, Ph.D., PT
Main research interests include movement physiology, adaptive motor strategies for Parkinson disease, applications of the circular treadmill.

Johanna Hartlein, RN, APN
Main research interest is in neuroimaging studies of movement disorders and evaluating new treatments for Parkinson Disease and Huntington's Disease.

Tamara Hershey, Ph.D.
Main research interests include cognitive effects of deep brain stimulation, neuroimaging and effects of diabetes on brain anatomy and cognitive function.

Morvarid Karimi, MD
Main research interests are in neuroimaging and mechanisms of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson Disease and other movement disorders.

Paul Kotzbauer, MD, PhD
Main research interests include working to understand mechanisms of neuro-degeneration underlying Parkinson's disease and related disorders.

William M. Landau, MD
Main research interests include physiology and treatment of movement disorders.

Brad A. Racette, MD
Main research interests include genetics and environmental risk factors for Parkinson disease and clinical applications of botulinum toxin treatment.

Bradley L. Schlaggar, MD PhD
Main research interests include language development and functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Samer Tabbal, MD
Main research interests include mechanisms of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson disease and other movement disorders, basal ganglia neurophysiology and pathophysiology of dystonia.

W. Thomas Thach M.D.
Main research interests include cerebellar physiology, basal ganglia physiology and physiologic mechanisms of motor recovery from injuries in humans.

Tom O. Videen, PhD
Main research interest is neuroimaging methods development and their application to movement disorders and brain injury.

Links

• Huntington's Disease Center of Excellence
• Parkinson Disease Information and Referral Center
• APDA Center for Advanced Parkinson Disease Research