Movement Disorders

The Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Movement Disorders Center is at the forefront of delivering the most advanced and innovative care for patients with all types of movement disorders. Our world-renowned, interdisciplinary specialists at the Comprehensive Brain Health Center provide the broadest range of expertise in a spectrum of related disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and related conditions, essential tremor, dystonia, tardive dystonia or dyskinesia, Tourette syndrome, spasticity and other movement disorders.

We are ranked in the top 1% of all hospitals in the nation for neurology and neurosurgery according to U.S. News & World Report, and we serve as an international referral site for complex and challenging movement disorder cases.

We use a spectrum of advanced diagnostic neuroimaging, neurophysiology and genetic/epigenetic technologies and advanced and emerging treatment modalities. We’ll coordinate any additional care or specialized services you may need, bringing together experts from across our health system to ensure your care is fully integrated and comprehensive.

In some cases, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is indicated. DBS surgery involves precise, minimally invasive surgical placement of electrodes into brain areas uniquely involved in mediating specific movement disorders, along with subsequent programming and refinement of stimulation parameters to optimally treat individual conditions. Our neurosurgeons are world-renowned specialists with decades of experience and leadership in the field. They are experts in minimally invasive stereotactic surgery, DBS surgery and all other contemporary approaches for the treatment of movement disorders. If surgery is recommended as part of your care plan, we’ll coordinate scheduling with our world-renowned surgeons at one of the many locations within our health system.

Our highly specialized team of leading experts from neurology, neurological surgery, neuroradiology, cognitive neuroscience, neurorehabilitation and biotechnology works together through consensus conferences and precision medicine initiatives. By integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging sophisticated technologies, we devise a comprehensive management plan to optimize functional recovery and avoid debilitating side effects often associated with medical management alone.

Our world-renowned neurosurgeons are the leading authorities on DBS surgery for movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and dystonia. Patients at our Movement Disorders Center are evaluated by experienced movement disorders neurologists to determine the correct diagnosis and provide medical therapy. Treatment regimens are individualized and can include optimal medical management and other forms of neuromodulation, such as DBS or minimally invasive surgical procedures, including pallidotomy and thalamotomy. Among the most common DBS surgical targets are the globus pallidus internus, the subthalamic nucleus and the ventralis intermedius nucleus of the thalamus.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a minimally invasive procedure that involves placing one or two thin wires or electrodes into parts of the brain, or nuclei, that are known to have abnormal patterns of activity in particular movement disorders. These wires are connected to a small pulse generator, similar to a pacemaker, which is implanted beneath the skin. The pulse generator delivers a mild electrical current to the affected nuclei, thereby reducing the effects of the abnormal activity. As a result, patients often experience considerable relief from abnormal movements such as tremor, stiffness and dystonia. If surgery is recommended as part of your care plan, we’ll coordinate scheduling with our world-renowned surgeons at one of the many locations within our health system.

Treatment plans are designed to optimize patient care, returning them to health as quickly as possible. Some of the various nonsurgical and surgical treatment options we offer at the Montefiore Einstein Movement Disorders Center include the following: