Integrated Rehabilitative Solutions for People with Movement Disorders

What we do:

This translational team’s objective is to develop a holistic approach for patients with movement disorders. Specifically, we are working to develop cutting-edge research and integrated solutions to more comprehensively treat all aspects of movement disorders and improve patient well-being. Ultimately, this can reduce the time between laboratory discovery to implementation in practice and provide patients with coordinated, complete care.

Who we are:

As a team, we bring together researchers with expertise in many domains (speech & hearing, movement sciences, neurobiology, rehabilitation and more) and healthcare providers/community partners to develop and translate new neuro-rehabilitative techniques for individuals with movement disorders.  This will accelerate the development of outcomes and paths toward more optimized, comprehensive, and cost-effective treatments.

Why it’s important:

Movement disorders are neurological conditions that impact the function of multiple body functions, reducing the overall quality of life of individuals. Our wellbeing is dependent on our ability to walk, speak, and eat. Movement disorders are among the most prevalent neurological disorders, affecting 10-20% of the general population. They are even more common (~28%) among older adults. This high rate of movement disorders is a serious challenge to our healthcare system. One of the challenges associated with movement disorders is that they often impact areas in the body. For example, Parkinson’s disease affects walking, hand movements, and speaking. Currently, the symptoms of movement disorders in different body functions are treated in patients separately, and often without consideration of other conditions resulting in less than optimal results. Therefore, there is a critical need to (1) evaluate the impact of these disorders in a given individual across all domains and (2) develop therapeutic regimens that work together to target all affected domains of the individual.

Leadership