MDS Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Aasef Shaikh and Dr. Ming-Kai Pan give us a virtual guided tour of their labs, particularly discussing what they are presently working on. They further elaborate on how these studies can inform our understanding of tremor physiology and where they believe the field should be heading in order to finally understand tremor origin.

Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Dr. Victor Fung, President of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society and lead author of the recent viewpoint published in the Movement Disorders journal. Together, they explore the biological definition and classification of Parkinson's disease, discussing its key insights, future prospects, and the implications of recent advances in the field. Read the article.

In this episode Dr. Ludy Shih briefly describes the current approach to tremor, including pharmacological treatments, botulinum toxin injections and deep brain stimulation. She further dives into the exciting new developments of the past few years and new drugs coming down the pipeline.

In this episode, the two souls at the center of the new tremor classification join the MDS Podcast to discuss what essential tremor is. Listen as Prof. Kailash Bhatia and Prof. Günther Deuschl walk you through their clinical methods and future outlook on essential tremor. Do they agree? Disagree?

Growing evidence suggests a contributory role of tau protein in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease. In this episode, Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández discusses the potential role of skin tau quantification as a biomarker for Huntington's disease with Dr. Jaime Kulisevsky and Dr. Iñigo Ruiz-Barrio. The authors discuss the results of the recent study correlating skin tau quantification with clinical and radiological data, and the role of skin tau in defining HD subtypes. Read the article.

Join neurologist Petra Schwingenschuh from the Medical University of Graz as she unpacks the complexities of diagnosing tremors. She emphasizes the importance of thorough patient histories and observation techniques. The discussion highlights innovative assessment methodologies, including structured examination scales. Schwingenschuh dives into the nuanced evaluation of tremor asymmetry and addresses the intriguing world of functional tremors, offering key insights for accurate diagnosis.

Dr. Sara Schaefer interviews Dr. Jaclyn Martindale on stigma in the experiences of individuals with pediatric movement disorders and tic disorders. They discuss the reasons behind stigma, types of stigma, and ways that stigma is perpetuated and mitigated in this special episode for World Movement Disorders Day 2024.

Dr. Indu Subramanian shares her view on stigma affecting people with Parkinson's disease, along with some practical tips on how to fight it as doctors and as a society.

Dr. Natasha Fothergill-Misbah discusses stigma in movement disorders with Dr. Sara Schaefer, including the origins, types, and consequences of stigma, and how stigma may be perpetuated and combatted around the world.

Dr. Rick Helmich tells us about the role of functional MRI in understanding the circuits of tremor. The conversation starts with a description of his most famous theory on the pathophysiology of Parkinsonism tremor ('dimmer-switch' hypothesis) and moves towards other forms of tremors, such as dystonic, Holmes and essential and even physiological tremor.