Division of Movement Disorders

The Movement Disorders Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital provides state-of-the-art expertise in neurological disorders involving abnormal movements of the body. Led by Dr. Vikram Khurana, the Division of Movement Disorders provides specialty care for patients with neurological disorders that cause slowed movements (bradykinesia) or involuntary movements. Movement disorders we treat include Parkinson disease (PD), tic disorders and Tourette syndrome, tremor, ataxia, myoclonus, dystonia, restless leg syndrome, and chorea. We also treat parkinsonian disorders such as multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD).

Our program is one of the foremost in the nation and brings together neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, advance practice providers, social workers, and physical therapists to provide a multidisciplinary approach to patients struggling with these disorders. Our experienced team offers the most up-to-date clinical care as well as access to ongoing research in movement disorders. We understand that many of these disorders are disabling and life-long; our mission is to improve quality of life of patients and to better understand, treat, and eventually cure these diseases.

The Movement Disorders Clinic is staffed by faculty who are experienced in the latest medications, surgical interventions including deep brain stimulation and focused ultrasound ablation, and advanced therapeutics including botulinum toxin administration for dystonia and tremor and levodopa intestinal infusion pumps for Parkinson disease. We also offer participation in clinical trials in movement disorders. In addition, the Movement Disorders Division houses several specialty clinics dedicated to comprehensive care of complex disorders. These include:

• PAMSA (Parkinson’s plus + Ataxia + Multiple System Atrophy) Clinic led by Dr. Vikram Khurana is an MSA Center of Excellence, dedicated to the treatment of patients diagnosed with parkinsonian syndromes, ataxia, and multiple system atrophy. Dr. Khurana also directs the Khurana Lab, which is on the forefront of research into biomarkers, novel therapeutics, and stem cell therapies.
• Neuromodulation clinic offering deep brain stimulation (DBS) and MRI-guided focused ultrasound ablation (FUSA) to patients with tremor, Parkinson disease, dystonia, and other movement disorders. This clinic is led by Dr. Michael Hayes and partners with our Neurosurgery department, Mapping and Engineering Neural Dynamics (MEND) Laboratory led by Dr. John Rolston, and the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics, led by Dr. Michael Fox.
• Neurogenetics clinic led by Drs. Claudio Melo de Gusmão, Vikram Khurana, and Barbara Changizi offers genetic counseling, genetic testing, and comprehensive care for patients with disorders caused by gene mutations or with a family history of movement disorders. This clinic is supported by genetic counselor Ms. Tina Truong.
• Dystonia clinic run by Dr. Nutan Sharma, an internationally recognized expert in the field of dystonia and an expert in botulinum toxin administration. Dr. Sharma also provides care for patients with deep brain stimulation for dystonia.