Movement Disorders

At UT Southwestern Medical Center, patients with movement disorders have access to specialists across the full range of medical, surgical, and support services – all working together to coordinate treatment strategies and offer the best possible results.

The UT Southwestern Movement Disorders Program is a leading regional referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, tremor, dystonia, ataxia, and other conditions.

Over the past 20 years, our physicians have provided expert, individualized care by accurately diagnosing the causes of movement disorders and creating comprehensive treatment plans.

Why Choose UT Southwestern for Movement Disorders Care?

Movement disorders affect the speed, fluency, quality, and ease of movement. They can result in excessive or slowed movements.

Our team at UT Southwestern handles more than 7,000 patient visits a year, offering state-of-the-art care for a wide range of movement disorders, such as:

The UT Southwestern Movement Disorders team includes fellowship-trained neurologists, neurosurgeons, advanced practice professionals, and other health care professionals with specific expertise in these neurological disorders. Our team has a long history of translating scientific discoveries into treatments for our patients.

What Are Causes and Symptoms of Movement Disorders?

Many factors can result in a movement disorder, including:

Genetics
Medications
Head injury
Infections
Toxins
Stroke

Symptoms of movement disorders depend on the type of disorder. In general, they include:

Uncontrolled movement such as tremors and twitches
Coordination and balance problems
Difficulty walking
Stiffness of limbs and trunk
Trouble with writing, swallowing, and other movement-related tasks

How Are Movement Disorders Diagnosed?

Movement disorders require expertise to diagnose since symptoms for various types can be similar. Our Movement Disorders team offers the latest diagnostic approaches, including:

Physical exam
Genetic tests
Neuroimaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dopamine transporter scan
Electromyography (EMG)
Nerve conduction study
Spinal tap

How Are Movement Disorders Treated?

UT Southwestern offers patients with movement disorders:

Access to clinical research programs and investigational drugs
Neurotoxin injections
Information and support for family members
Physical, speech, and occupational therapy
Nutrition counseling
Mental health support
The latest medical therapies
Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
High-frequency ultrasound treatment of tremor
Support services such as the Total Care Program for Parkinson’s disease

Rehabilitation

Our rehabilitation specialists provide compassionate, individualized therapies that can help ease symptoms and improve quality of life for patients with various movement disorders.

Our rehabilitation team includes nurses, neuropsychologists, psychologists, and occupational, physical, recreational, and speech therapists, so that patients benefit from a comprehensive program that addresses all aspects of their disease. Our exercise and rehabilitation program enables patients to continue participating in activities at work, at home, and in their community.

Our specialists also work diligently with family members, offering psychological counseling, support groups, educational programs, and other services.

What Clinical Trials Are Available for Movement Disorders?

As a world-class academic medical center, UT Southwestern offers patients with movement disorders unique access to research, clinical trials, and new therapies – often before they’re available at other hospitals.

Our Movement Disorders team has led extensive research programs to investigate the genetic and other contributing factors of movement disorders. This includes several long-term National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded trials designed to identify neuroprotective agents for Parkinson’s disease.