Drs. LaFaver and Friedland met with staff of Rep. John Yarmuth’s office as part of the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) “off the hill” advocacy efforts. Topics discussed were increased transparency in drug pricing, reduction of regulatory burdens such as encouraging the use of electronic prior authorization, and increased funding for National Institutes of Health (NIH) research.

 As result of the AAN and other medical society’s efforts, the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) announced on Nov. 1, 2018 a delay in its suggested reimbursement changes that   would significantly affect neurologists. The CMS had initially proposed to collapse payment for evaluation and management for four different complexity levels of patient visits into one. The decision is now delayed until 2021. Learn more about this big win for Neurology here.

Dr. LaFaver shared the stage with Dr. Jon Stone from the UK to educate an international audience about functional movement disorders and our MoRe treatment program at Frazier Rehab Institute. The meeting was attended by over 4000 neurologists and healthcare professionals from 86 countries. As its main topic, the congress dealt with better use of technology for assessment, management and treatment of movement disorders. 
 

This summer, Nelleke van Wouwe, Ph.D., joined the research faculty at the University of Louisville School of Medicine as assistant professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery. Since 2012, van Wouwe has been researching cognitive function in patients with movement disorders at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville.

At UofL, van Wouwe will be working on research to understand the function of the basal ganglia in patients with Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette syndrome and other conditions. The basal ganglia are located at the base of the forebrain and are associated with control of voluntary movements, cognition, emotion and other functions. She will be working with Joseph Neimat, M.D., chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery, on experiments conducted in the operating room (recordings during surgery) and also with patients post-surgery.
 
Specifically, her NIH-funded research will investigate how the basal ganglia affect cognitive functions crucial to navigating daily life situations. The ability to stop or change actions is necessary to prevent impulsive actions with for example driving or in communication with other people. Patients with a movement disorder may find it more difficult to stop and control these voluntary actions.

In our lab, we use behavioral and neurophysiological measurements to investigate the relation between brain and cognition. We also aim to understand how treatment with medication and deep brain stimulation can restore the ability to control actions. Ultimately, a better understanding of these interventions on the brain and behavior could help tailor treatment to individual needs.

 

Cerebellar ataxia is a condition leading to problems with gait, coordination and speech due to damage of the cerebellum, a part of the brain controlling balance and movement coordination. Treatment for ataxia is often challenging and no curative therapies have been found to date.
 
In the new treatment guidelines released by the AAN earlier this year, the role for treatment with Riluzole (Rilutek®) was highlighted for certain forms of genetic ataxias including Friedreich’s ataxia. You may review the full guidelines here or ask one of our clinic staff members for a copy. In addition to medications, adaptive devices such as walkers, physical, occupational and speech therapy, also have a role in the management of ataxia.

 

From amazon.com: “In her seventies, Peggy Bushy’s mother, Francesca,   started telling unbelievable stories. She claimed that people were invading her home and trying to kill her. She also became anxious and reclusive. For several discouraging years, Bushy searched in vain for a reason for her mother’s behavior. Finally, Francesca was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. Although it’s the third-most-common cause of dementia, Bushy was unable to find much information on the disease, and the medical community was frustratingly unhelpful. Lewy, Mom, and Me is the book that Bushy wished had been available when her mother was first diagnosed. It details her personal journey of discovery, with all its challenges and revelations, and is written in a compassionate, empathetic style that will comfort any reader dealing with a parent’s decline. Bushy explains how she learned to accept the changes in her mother and to support Francesca emotionally as she grappled with her frightening illness. She also describes what was involved in caring for her mother first at home, then in long-term care, and finally in hospice. Part memoir and part survival guide, this compelling testimony offers support and information for family caregivers of aging parents.”
 
You can access this and other books in the Bill Collins Parkinson’s Resource Center at Frazier Rehab Institute (lobby level) and borrow a copy for up to three months.

 

 

Hi! My name is Heena Iqbal. I am 22 years old, and I work as a substitute teacher at a private high school.

I lived a normal childhood, free of any health-related issues. However, when I was only 14-years-old, I suddenly lost the ability to walk, use fine motor skills, or speak correctly. Doctors ran every test they could, but found no cause for my symptoms. Finally, something showed up on an MRI six months later. I was diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia due to an autoimmune cause, and lost many brain cells in my cerebellum. A little while later I started presenting with ataxic movements that were more pronounced on the right side of my body. It has been 8 years and I still can’t walk. But with consistent physical therapy and natural supplements, such as CoQ-10, my symptoms are manageable.
 

 

My name is Albertine Fabi I am from Benin a small town in west Africa. I have eight siblings--four brothers and four sisters. In Africa, I am a part of a royal family. I speak nine different languages with my native language being French.
 
While I was in Benin, I was a midwife for about three years. Then, I moved to the US in 2000 and was married for 10 years that ended with a divorce. I have two boys, one born in Africa who is now 19, and one born in Louisville who is 16. I used to sing in a choir and I love gospel music. I earned my CNA certification in 2009. I worked at JCIM for about 10 years in quality control. In 2013, JCIM was shut down so I went to school at Brown Mackie College and graduated with my CCMA license in 2015. I am enjoying to be part of the Movement Disorders Clinic team and take care of our patients!

Kathrin LaFaver, M.D. – Director; Movement disorder specialist
Victoria Holiday, M.D. – Movement disorder specialist
Laura Dixon, DNP, APRN –  Movement disorder specialist
Shelly Oates - Registered nurse
Kelly Bickett – Registered nurse
Diane Stretz-Thurmond – Case manager
Albertine Fabi – Medical assistant
Annette Robinson – Research nurse (not pictured)
Diksha Mohanti – Research assistant (not pictured)
Anushree Linguaia – Research assistant (not pictured)

Join us on noon – 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, in the Bill Collins PD Resource Center in the lobby of Frazier Rehab Institute for the last talk this year in our Lunch and Learn Series. Drs. Holiday and LaFaver will address “Myths and Misconceptions about Parkinson’s Disease – Time to clear the fog.”  This is a free event and includes a light lunch. Please call 502-582-7654 to register.
 
We are looking forward to welcoming you to our annual Holiday Luncheon noon – 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 in the lobby of Frazier Rehab Institute. Join the UofL Physicians Movement Clinic Team for a joyful get-together to celebrate the holiday spirit. A light lunch, raffle tickets and musical entertainment will be provided. Open to all patients and guests, RSVP required, call 502-582-7654 to register.
 
Save the date for our annual Bill Collins Parkinson’s Disease Conference 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday,  March 2, 2019 in the Rudd Conference Center at Jewish Hospital. Dr. Eric Ahlskog from Mayo Clinic will be our keynote speaker. Dr. Ahlskog is a world-renowned expert on Parkinson’s disease and author of “The New Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Book: Partnering with Your Doctor to Get the Most from Your Medications”.

 

Join Drs. Abbey Roach and Dennis Brandon for the quarterly Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) education group from 6 - 7 p.m. in the Bill Collins Parkinson’s Resource Center in the lobby of Frazier Rehab Institute. The group is open to patients with current DBS therapy as well as patients who are interested to learn more about DBS surgery for treatment of Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor or dystonia. Registration is required; please call 502-582-7484 to sign up. Next Dates: Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 and March 20, 2019.

 

• UofL Physicians Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Website
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• American Academy of Neurology Website for Patients and Caregivers
• Clinical Trials Finder
• National Parkinson’s Foundation
• Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease
• Cure PSP (Support for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy)
• Defeat MSA (Support for Multiple System Atrophy)
• Lewy Body Dementia Association
• The Dystonia Medical Research Foundation
• Huntington’s Disease Society of America
• Tourette Association of America
• FND Hope (Support for Functional Neurological Disorders)

• Parkinson’s Disease Support Center of Kentuckiana
• Essential Tremor:
  • Please contact Ms. Erika Ganong at Erika.ganong@gmail.com
• Huntington’s Disease Society of America, Kentucky Chapter

We count on you to help grow our research and educational activities. For more information about supporting our center, please contact Denise Nuehring, senior director of development, at 502-640-8663 or by email at denise.nuehring@louisville.edu or put your gift to work even faster and make a secure online donation. Thank you in advance for your support!