Movement Disorder Clinic

The Movement Disorders Clinic is led by Medical Director, Abraham Lieberman, MD, an internationally recognized expert in Parkinson's disease.

Movement Disorders is a sub-specialty in neurology that focuses on diagnosing and treating people with illnesses that affect movements. This includes evaluating a range of symptoms such as involuntary movements like tremors or jerky movements; slowness or interruptions in movements; abnormal posturing, twisting or stiffness of the limbs.

The physicians in the Movement Disorders Clinic evaluate people with abnormalities of gait, balance and coordination. Some physicians in the clinic have specialized training in administering botulinum toxin injections for treatment of various movement disorders. In addition they have training in evaluation for Deep Brain Stimulation surgery and managing Deep Brain Stimulation.

The Movement Disorders Clinic is part of the Barrow Neurology Clinics and accepts most insurance plans.

Movement Disorders Treated

• Ataxia
• Blepharospasm
• Cervical Dystonia/Spasmodic Torticollis
• Corticobasal Degeneration
• Dementia with Lewy Body disease
• Dyskinesia
• Dystonia
• Essential Tremor
• Huntington's disease
• Multiple System Atrophy
• Parkinson's disease
• Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
• Restless Legs Syndrome
• Tardive dyskinesia
• Tremor
• Wilson's disease

Deep Brain Stimulation Clinic

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a surgical treatment for people with Parkinson's disease, Essential Tremor and Dystonia. An electrode is placed in a targeted area of the brain, depending on the symptoms. The electrode is connected to a "pacemaker" and an electrical current is sent from the pacemaker to the electrode to help control symptoms.

Initial evaluation for DBS at the Movement Disorders Clinic requires a referral from your neurologist or primary care physician. After speaking with you and an examination, the movement disorder neurologist will determine if you are a candidate for DBS surgery. If you are considered to be a candidate a medication "on/off" test will be scheduled as well as a neuropsychological evaluation and an MRI examination. Following these tests, an appointment will be made for you with one of the Barrow Neurosurgical Associates neurosurgeons. Once all the evaluations have been completed the team will meet to discuss the results, plan your surgery and provide you with a surgery date. Following your surgery, you will continue with visits to the movement disorder neurologist for stimulator and medication adjustments.

Botulinum Toxin Clinic

Outline toxin produces the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Done with or without EMG guiding, the injections work by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles which relieves painful muscle spasms and cramps. The result lasts three to four months.

The physicians at the Movement Disorders Clinic use it in small does to treat problems including:

• Cervical dystonia
• Blepharospasm
• Hemifacial spasm
• Writer's cramp
• Jaw dystonia
• Limb dystonia
• Dystonic tremor
• Meige's Symdrome

The physicians at the Movement Disorders Clinic are practiced in using Botox®, Myobloc® and Dysport®

Orthostatic Hypotension Evaluation

Orthostatic hypotension (dizziness on standing) or low blood pressure can be found in up to 25% of people with movement disorders. The physicians at the Movement Disorders Clinic use the CardioDynamics Bio Z ICG Monitor with a tilt table evaluation to calculate cardiac output, systemic vascular contractility and fluid status. Calculating these parameters allows physicians to create more efficient and effective treatments for orthostatic hypotension.

Tremor Evaluation

Physicians at the Movement Disorders Clinic conduct tremor evaluations to distinguish and treat different types of tremor e.g. Parkinson's disease, Essential Tremor, Dystonic tremor, Cerebellar tremor and additional neurological tremor.

Contact Us

For more information on the Movement Disorders Clinic, please call (602) 406-6262.