MDS Podcast

Dr. Victor Fung reflects on his term as MDS President and his appreciation for the accomplishments that were achieved. He further discusses his future hopes and goals of the Society and the #mdscongress.

The field of genetics often moves quickly, making it a challenge to stay informed. Dr. Gerard Saranza breaks down the current landscape, new discoveries and technologies, and what changes we can expect in the upcoming years.

Due to genetic advancements, the pediatric movement disorder field is ever growing. Dr. Shekeeb Mohammad breaks down the current landscape of the field and how adult neurologists can advance their learning.

There have been nearly 30 years of disease modifying trials for PD, but little success. Prof. Tanya Simuni breaks down clinical trial design for a heterogenous disease like PD and discusses the future goals and importance of a biological definition.

Rehabilitation for movement disorders, like PD, has become increasingly prevalent for patient care. Prof. Alice Nieuwboer discusses how technology has shaped the field, how neurologists can support patient exercise, and what future updates she looks forward to.

Dr. Yaroslau Compta discusses how the view of co-pathologies has changed the view of many disorders, including tauopathies. He dives into the current state of clinical trials for PSP and what those results may mean for the future of biomarkers.

The last full day of the #mdscongress was full of exciting sessions and events. Dr. Laura Silveira-Moriyama shares her excitement about the keynote speaker, updates on disease modifying clinical trials, and of course, the crowd pleasing MDS Video Challenge.

Dr. Huw Morris discusses the session highlights from #mdscongress day three, which included a plenary session on protein aggregation clearance, movement disorder grand rounds, and several exciting oral platforms.

Prof. Francesca Morgante breaks down the second day of the #mdscongress which included the presidential lectures, junior awardees, and several enlightening teaching sessions.

An eventful first day of the 2025 #mdscongress has come to a close. Listen here as Dr. Davide Martino reviews the events and interesting scientific sessions for those near and far. Don't miss out!

Dr. Mitra Afshari chats with Dr. Jung Hawn Shin, one of this year's MDS Congress Junior Awardees. Together they discuss his career path and what lead him to studying, and ultimately deciphering specific neuronal cell-types within the subthalamic nucleus (STN) that could be responsible for anti-parkinsonian motor benefits, and potentially non-motor side effects, of stimulation using optogenetic technology in Parkinsonian mice.

Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández interviews one of the 2025 Junior Awardees, Dr. Lydia Chougar about her work combining neuroimaging with transcriptomics and PET maps to elucidate the biological underpinnings of structural abnormalities in multiple system atrophy.

There is an important role for cost-effective clinical biomarkers in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández and Dr. Cecilia Tremblay discuss how accurate hyposmia and REM sleep behavior disorder can predict Lewy pathology in a non-selected population using data from the Arizona clinicopathological study on Aging and Neurodegeneration. Read the article.

This year's MDCP Review Article of the Year covers the spectrum of movement disorders associated with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Dr. Sarah Camargos interviews Dr. Charulata Sankhla on her team's findings and why she believes movement disorder specialists should be aware of this measle-associated complication. Read the article.

Dr. Jon Stoessl looks back on his distinguished career in neuroimaging, highlighting the discoveries that have advanced our understanding of Parkinson's disease and related conditions. In this conversation, he reflects on the evolution of imaging technologies, the challenges of interpreting complex data, and the lessons learned throughout his journey. His recognition with the David Marsden Lecture Award underscores the lasting impact of his contributions to the field.

Prof. Mark Edwards, the awardee for the 2025 Stanley Fahn Lecture Award, discusses his work and interest in the neurology-psychiatry continuum as it relates to the care of patients with chronic neurological diseases, including functional neurological disorders.

In this episode, we dive into the world of epilepsy dyskinesia syndrome (EDS) with our guest, Dr. Darius Ebrahimi-Fakhari. Listen as he unpacks the findings from one of the largest multinational studies to date, involving over 600 patients across 25 countries. Read the article.

In the third and final episode of the normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) Hot Topic series, Dr. Sara Schaefer speaks with Dr. Joachim Krauss about the assessment of patients with NPH for neurosurgical intervention, outcomes data, and his vision for the future of NPH research and clinical care.

In this second episode of the Hot Topic series on normal pressure hydrocephalus, Dr. Sara Schaefer discusses with Dr. Alfonso Fasano the pathophysiological theories behind NPH, co-pathology in this population, and controversies surrounding the disease.

In this first episode of the Hot Topic series on normal pressure hydrocephalus, Dr. Sara Schaefer discusses with Dr. Mats Tullberg the symptoms of NPH, examination techniques and pearls, imaging findings, and the differential diagnosis.

In this episode, host Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Dr. Nicolaas Bohnen about his team's recent study using FEOBV PET to investigate cholinergic deficits in Parkinson's disease patients with dopa-unresponsive freezing of gait (FOG). The results reveal a distinct pattern of cortical cholinergic denervation that may underlie this challenging and poorly treatable symptom. Dr. Bohnen discusses the implications for subtyping FOG, the role of cholinergic systems in higher-order motor control, and the potential for cholinergic-targeted therapies. Read the article.

Dr. Mitra Afshari interviews Drs. Patricia Krause and Andrea Kühn on the results of a 10-year prospective follow-up study of a multicenter trial of GPI-DBS in isolated generalized and segmental dystonia. Together they discuss motor, non-motor, and safety outcomes, as well as the strong and stable long-term improvements in dystonia from pallidal DBS. Further, they provide their expert insights on the common themes with respect to treatment failure and the critical need for a personalized approach.

Could gene therapy with neurotrophic factors help restore dopaminergic terminals in Parkinson's disease? Dr. Michele Matarazzo speaks with Dr. Amber Van Laar about her team's Phase 1b trial of AAV2–GDNF gene therapy delivered directly to the putamen. They discuss the preclinical evidence for GDNF, how advanced delivery techniques and higher putamen coverage may overcome past challenges, and the encouraging early results in moderate Parkinson's. The conversation also explores lessons from previous trials, safety outcomes, and the path forward. Read the article.

Nicole Duff and Dr. Amanda Currie discuss the potential role of the social worker in deep brain stimulation (DBS) and the work of Dr. Currie's team in creating a simple pneumonic that could be used to determine whether a social worker's involvement would be beneficial to DBS patients. They also discuss the clinical implications of this study as well as possible future directions to further outline the role of the social worker in DBS. Read the article.

Mutations in LRRK2 are a common cause of familial and sporadic Parkinson's. Though clinical features resemble typical PD, about half of cases lack Lewy pathology. Doctors Hiroaki Sekiya and Nanna Møller Jensen discuss their recent studies on the neuropathology of LRRK2-PD patients. They dive into their methods and how proximity ligation assays may compare to alpha-synuclein seeding assays in identification of alpha-synuclein oligomers. Together they explain their surprising results on how alpha-synuclein oligomers may be a key early feature in LRRK2-PD. Read the first article. Read the second article.

Dr. Hugo Morales interviews Drs. Malco Rossi and Lucas Alessandro about their work on an AI-powered virtual assistant designed to aid in the diagnosis of chronic ataxias. They discuss how the assistant performed when put to the test, evaluating its diagnostic accuracy head-to-head against movement disorder experts. Journal CME is available until May 21, 2026 Read the article.

Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Prof. Sabine Fuchs on the potential of prime editing as a future therapy for cortical myoclonus. This exciting new development holds promise for the treatment of rare genetic disorders such as GOSR2. In the interview, Prof. Fuchs provides valuable insights into the science and potential applications of this groundbreaking technique.

In this episode, Prof. Tiago Outeiro interviews Prof. William Langston on the intriguing history of drug addicts manifesting parkinsonism in the 1980s, and how MPTP became a tool compound for modeling certain aspects of Parkinson's disease.

Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Prof. Kathryn Peall about her expertise on a topic that lies at the heart of her work: Myoclonus dystonia. We'll hear her insights on both the motor and non-motor challenges faced by patients, and how deep brain stimulation is reshaping treatment possibilities.

In this episode, we explore the role of genetics and genetic testing in the decision-making and outcome of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease with two experts in the field: Dr. David Arkadir and Dr. Saar Anis. This interview is also available in the text format within the MDS Scientific Issues: Read the issue

In this episode, Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Prof. Mark Edwards. Together they delve into both the clinical and electrophysiological aspects of propriospinal myoclonus, and explore the distinguishing features and current treatment options for functional movement disorders.

Dr. Sarah Camargos talks with Prof. Laura Bannach Jardim about how rural living might influence the age at onset of Machado-Joseph disease. Read the article.

Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Dr. Christos Ganos on the differential diagnosis of myoclonus. Dr. Ganos explains how he distinguishes between jerky movements based on clinical history and examination, and discusses the differential diagnosis across various parts of the body.

Dr. Hugo Morales Briceno interviews Prof. David Devos from the University of Lille, France, about the results of the phase 1/2 clinical trial using intracerebroventricular anaerobic dopamine in Parkinson's disease with L-dopa-related complications. Read the article.

Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Professors Anna Latorre and Shabbir Merchant on the topic of electrophysiology, with a focus on cortical myoclonus. Together they discuss the potential applications of electrophysiology for myoclonus in clinical practice. They also explore the complex interface between cortical myoclonus and epilepsy.

Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Prof. Irena Rektorová about her recent study on early changes in the locus coeruleus in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies. Using neuromelanin-sensitive MRI, the study reveals selective vulnerability of the caudal locus coeruleus and its association with specific cognitive and other nonmotor features. The conversation explores the implications for early diagnosis, the “body-first” hypothesis, and the potential role of NM-MRI as a biomarker. Read the article.

Prof. Marina de Koning-Tijssen interviews Prof. John Caviness on the topic of myoclonus, focusing on its new classification and treatment. They discuss the long-awaited recently published classification of myoclonus and explore the latest treatment options.

On this special World Parkinson's Day episode, Dr. Michele Matarazzo is joined by John Dean—speech-language pathologist and Chair of the MDS Allied Health Professionals Group—to explore the essential roles of care partners, allied health professionals, and the broader Parkinson's community. From physiotherapists to family members, we shine a light on the many people who support those living with Parkinson's disease every day. World Parkinson's Day

Dr. Sara Schaefer discusses with Dr. Michelle Fullard the similarities and differences in how men and women with Parkinson's disease approach the decision of whether or not to undergo deep brain stimulation. Read the article.

In this episode, Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Prof. Tom Foltynie about the recently published phase 3 clinical trial of exenatide as a disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson's disease in The Lancet. While the findings were disappointing, ongoing post-hoc analyses aim to understand the discrepancy with previous phase 2 results and explore how they might shape the future of exenatide and other GLP-1 agonists in neurodegenerative disorders. Read the article.

Prof. Sarah Camargos interviews Prof. Sun Ju Chung about his recent paper in the Movement Disorders Journal investigating diagnostic and prognostic capabilities of measuring blood mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) for Parkinson's disease. Journal CME is available until March 3, 2026 Read the article.

Dr. Sara Schaefer and Dr. Davide Martino discuss his recent paper exploring the use of transcranial direct current stimulation over the supplementary motor area for the suppression of tics in patients with Tourette Syndrome. Read the article.

There is an important role for cost-effective clinical biomarkers in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández and Dr. Cecilia Tremblay discuss how accurate hyposmia and REM sleep behavior disorder can predict Lewy pathology in a non-selected population using data from the Arizona clinicopathological study on Aging and Neurodegeneration. Read the article.

Dr. Jennifer Eisenhauer joins Dr. Sara Schaefer to discuss her recent article describing a combined therapy approach for adult patient with tics: habit reversal therapy (HRT) + acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). They further discuss what these therapies are, their effect in tics, what is gratifying about working with patients with tics, and next steps to determine efficacy of this approach. Read the article.

Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández discusses and Dr Tommaso Schirinzi discuss the results of his study evaluating markers of immune response, metabolism, inflammatory regulation and tau levels in blood cells in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). They also discuss how these results contribute to the growing evidence of neuroinflammation contributing to the pathogenesis of PSP. Journal CME is available until October 21, 2025 Read the article.

Dr. Shiro Horisawa discusses the latest clinical trial results on MR-guided focused ultrasound pallidothalamic tractotomy for cervical dystonia. He explores the technique's limitations, future prospects, and how it compares to existing therapeutic options. Read the article.

Dr. Hugo Morales Briceno interviews Prof. Ray Chaudhuri to discuss the real world-use of levodopa subcutaneous infusion in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Chan joins the podcast to discuss the results of their pilot study with Dr. Eduardo De Pablo-Fernández. The study uses a foot vibrotactile stimulation as an external cue for the treatment of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease. Together they discuss how vibrotactile devices can be implemented in clinical practice. Read the article.

In this episode, Prof. Alexander Münchau talks about how machine learning video-based assessments can be leveraged to quantify tics in Tourette syndrome and how this technology has the potential to assist clinicians in tic detection. Read the article.

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.