MDS Podcast
Stay up to date on novel, clinically-relevant research findings in Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. Each episode of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society podcast discusses a relevant development in the field, including highlighted journal articles and interviews with the authors.
Episodes
A cross-sectional study of PPMI participants using alpha-synuclein seed amplification as a biomarker
In this episode Dr. Tiago Outeiro talks with Dr. Andrew Siderowf about the exciting new results in his most recent publication on alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay.
Read the article.
A lifetime of experiences and learnings - MDS 40th Anniversary
Two key leaders of the MDS Pan-American section, Dr. Cynthia Comella and Dr. Oscar Gershanik, discuss how they got involved in the society, what they are most proud of, and what the Society means to them, both professionally and personally.
A new pathway to find structural variations in inherited neurological cases - the SCA4 example
Dr. Sarah Camargos interviews Dr. Zhonghbo Chen and Prof. Henry Houlden, first and senior author of a MDJ paper exploring a GGC repeat expansion in the ZFHX3 gene associated with spinocerebellar ataxia type 4. They describe a criative methodology to find a gene in a family with a Swedish ancestry.
Journal CME is available until April 04, 2025
Read the article.
A post-hoc analysis of the Prasinezumab trial in early Parkinson's disease
Dr. Gennaro Pagano discusses the findings of the post-hoc analysis of the PASADENA trial, a study using the monoclonal antibody Prasinezumab directed at aggregated α-synuclein, where motor progression trajectories differed between active and placebo groups. Read article »
Acetylcholine nuclei atrophy predicts gait changes in Parkinson's disease
Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Dr. Nicola Ray on a recently published article that demonstrates a relationship between changes in cholinergic nuclei in MRI and future gait disorders in Parkinson's disease. Read the article
Achievements and future goals: An interview with MDS President • 2025 MDS Congress
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.
Advanced therapies for Parkinson's disease: Are they all the same?
Dr. K. Ray Chaudhuri discusses with Dr. Michele Matarazzo his article on the differences between subthalamic nucleus DBS, intrajejunal levodopa and apomorphine infusion in Parkinson's, published in the March 2019 issue of the Movement Disorders journal. Read the article
Advancements in Dystonia Treatments | Congress 2023
What innovations in dystonia treatments do we have to look forward to? Dr. Mark Edwards sits down with Dr. Sarah Camargos to answer that vary question.
Advances in Supranuclear Palsy Research | Congress 2022
Despite the challenge of studying rare conditions like PSP, Dr. Yaroslau Compta discusses with Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández how leaps forward in recent advances could make us rethink the way we approach the condition.
An interview with Claudia Trenkwalder | Congress 2021
Dr. Sara Schaefer discusses with Dr. Claudia Trenkwalder the 2021 Virtual MDS Congress, her tenure as the MDS president, and her hopes for the future of the MDS.
An Interview with MDS President Francisco Cardoso | Congress 2022
MDS President Francisco Cardoso shares with Dr. Michele Matarazzo the important takeaways from this year's Congress that will shape the future of movement disorders and the Society.
An online mindfulness-based group intervention for tics
Dr. Hannah E. Reese and Mr. W. Alan Brown discuss their pilot study of a mindfulness-based group virtual intervention for tic disorders, that was co-developed with patients.
Journal CME is available until August 21, 2025
Read the article.
Antibiotics and Parkinson's disease
In this issue Dr. Filip Sheperjans shares the results of the article published in the March 2020 issue of the Movement Disorders journal on the effect of antibiotic exposure on the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Read the article
Anti-inflammatory drugs use impacts the risk of developing PD in LRRK2 mutation carriers
Dr. Marta San Luciano shares the main findings of the recently published article on the impact of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use on the risk of developing PD in a large LRRK2 mutation carriers cohort. Read the article
Anxiety in parkinson's disease and its correlates in mri-based functional connectivity
Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Dr. Rosa De Micco on the functional MRI correlates of anxiety in Parkinson's disease, highlighting the main results of the article she recently published on the topic in the Movement Disorders journal.Read the article
Approach to neuroimaging in Parkinsonisms
Dr. Sara Schaefer discusses with Professor Antonio Strafella and Dr. Cecilia Peralta their work from the MDS Neuroimaging Study Group published in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice on a "Pragmatic Approach on Neuroimaging Techniques for the Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonisms." Read the article
Approach to reviewing a review article
For the sixth episode of the special series focused on the peer review process, Dr. Shweta Prasad speaks with Prof. Christine Klein to discuss the approach to reviewing a review article.
Are hyposmia and REM sleep behavior disorder reliable indicators of Lewy body pathology?
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.
Artificial intelligence in the diagnostic approach of chronic ataxias
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.
Ataxia Series: Beyond the cerebellum - Non-motor features and multisystem care in genetic ataxias
Genetic ataxias have many non-motor features, such as fatigue, sleep disorders, and cognitive dysfunction. In this episode, Dr. Orlando Barsottini and Dr. Christofer Stephen discuss the most common non-motor symptoms and how to approach them.
Ataxia Series: Deconstructing late-onset idiopathic ataxia
Cases of late-onset cerebellar ataxias are a challenge for neurologists. In this episode Dr. Orlando Barsottini and Dr. José Luiz Pedroso discuss new advances on the investigation of late-onset cerebellar ataxias and identification of new genes.
Ataxia Series: Neuroimaging patterns not to miss in ataxia
In this episode, Dr. Orlando Barsottini and Dr. Malco Rossi discuss the main imaging findings and clues for the the diagnosis of genetic and sporadic ataxias.
Ataxia Series: Recognizing sporadic ataxias
In this interview, Dr. Orlando Barsottini and Dr. Divyani Garg discuss the main forms of sporadic ataxias, how to approach them, and what steps not to miss.
Ataxia Series: The ataxia exam - Phenomenology, classification, and a practical diagnostic roadmap
In this episode, Dr. Orlando Barsottini and Dr. Bart van de Warrenburg discuss the importance of precise neurological examination and classification of ataxias. The further discuss the rational etiological investigation for cases of ataxia and how to utilize different clinical assessments.
Ataxia Series: Treating cerebellar ataxia in 2026 - What's new?
For many years ataxias, especially the genetic forms, were considered untreatable diseases. In this episode Dr. Orlando Barsottini and Dr. Liana Rosenthal discuss the new advances in the treatment of ataxias and perspectives for the future.
Atypical Parkinsonisms | Congress 2019
As part of the MDS Congress 2019 Special Issue, Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Dr. Gesine Respondek about atypical parkinsonisms, focusing on the MDS activities to advance in the knowledge and management of these diseases and facilitate clinical trials.
Autophagy in levodopa-induced dyskinesia: A new potential therapeutic target
Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Prof. Gilberto Fisone about the role of autophagy in levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Read the article
Award Article: A Multi-Step Model of Parkinson's Disease Pathogenesis
"A Multi-Step Model of Parkinson's Disease Pathogenesis" was awarded "Best Research Article of the Movement Disorders journal for 2022." Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews the first author, Dr. Campbell Le Heron. Read the article
Award Article: Have we forgotten what tics are?
In this special issue celebrating the Movement Disorders Clinical Practice journal Research Article of the Year 2023, Sara Schaefer discusses tic phenomenology in primary tic disorders vs. functional tic-like disorders with Dr. Tamara Pringsheim. Read the article »
Award Article: Long duration levodopa response and neuroplasticity in Parkinson’s disease
In this special issue celebrating the Movement Disorders journal Research Article of the Year 2023, Sara Schaefer discusses with Dr. Mario Zappia the effects of the short vs long duration responses to levodopa on cortical excitability and neuroplasticity in response to motor learning tasks in early Parkinson’s disease patients. Read the article »
Award Replay: MDS Criteria for the diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy: New features and implications
A re-release of the episode featuring the recently-awarded "Best Review article of 2022 from the Movement Disorders journal" article, titled "The Movement Disorder Society Criteria for the Diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy." Read the article.
Basic Science Updates in Movement Disorders | Congress 2022
Which emerging areas of movement disorders research are set to advance in the coming years? And how is that already beginning to affect clinical care? Prof. Jose Obeso shares about this and other key scienctific shifts with Prof. Tiago Outeiro.
Better understanding functional movement disorders • 2024 MDS Congress
Dr. Alexander Lehn breaks down functional movement disorders; what is happening in the brain, what are the potential risk factors and what future treatments and clinical trials we have to look forward to.
Bilateral focused ultrasound thalamotomy for essential tremor, is it safe?
Prof. Andres Lozano shares the results of the phase 2 clinical trial showing safety and feasibility of the staged bilateral MR-guided focus ultrasound thalamotomy in 10 patients. Read the article.
Biomarker Updates: A conversation on biomarkers and diagnostics of Parkinson's disease and related disorders
In this episode, Dr. David Burn shares his views with Prof. Tiago Outeiro on the topic of diagnostic and biomarkers in PD and atypical parkinsonism, and how these may impact the clinical practice. Recorded at the MDS-ES Focused Workshop: Diagnostic and Progression Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease and Atypical Parkinsonism, Feb. 29 - Mar. 02, 2024.
Biomarker Updates: Ongoing pharmacological developments in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders
In this episode, Prof. Olivier Rascol provides an overview of his presentation at the MDS-ES Focused Workshop: Diagnostic and Progression Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease and Atypical Parkinsonism, and discusses his view on ongoing efforts for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies.
Biomarker Updates: The immune system in Parkinson’s disease
In this episode, Prof. Romero Ramos provides an overview of her presentation at the MDS-ES Focused Workshop: Diagnostic and Progression Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease and Atypical Parkinsonism, and discusses the role of the immune system in Parkinson's disease.
Biomarker Updates: The Parkinson's disease pandemic
In this episode. Prof. Bas Bloem provides an overview of the topics covered in his lecture at the MDS-ES Focused Workshop: Diagnostic and Progression Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease and Atypical Parkinsonism, and discusses how biomarkers may help us identify patients and select adequate therapeutic strategies.
Biomarkers and basic science research • 2024 MDS Congress
Prof. Brit Mollenhauer shares her excitement about basic science, including biomarker research, and how she believes MDS’s diversity can help foster more collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists.
Blinded RT-QuIC analysis of alpha-synuclein biomarker in skin tissue from Parkinson's disease patients
Dr. Sara Schaefer speaks with Dr. Anumantha Kanthasamy about RT-QuIC from skin tissues as a potential new biomarker for Parkinson's disease. Read the article
Breaking down functional movement disorders • 2025 MDS Congress
Functional movement disorders (FMDs) are the most common subgroup of functional neurological disorders. Prof. Selma Aybek breaks down current trends for FMDs, controversies, and treatment preferences, including implementing an interdisciplinary team.
Can dogs diagnose Parkinson's disease?
Dr. Sarah Lidstone interviews Dr. Chang-Qing Gao & Prof. Ji-fung Guo about their recent research on the sensitivity of sniffer dogs for diagnosing Parkinson's disease.
Read the article.
Celebrating the Parkinson's community
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 P
Chorea Series: Approach to patients with acquired choreas
Dr. Ruth Walker and Dr. Molly Cincotta discuss causes of acquired chorea and approach to the work-up of a patient with an acquired chorea.
Chorea Series: Approach to patients with genetic choreas
Dr. Ruth Walker invites Prof. Emilia Gatto and Dr. Kevin Peikert onto the MDS Podcast for the second episode of the Chorea Special series. Together they discuss the general approach to patients with chorea of genetic etiology, with specific clues to diagnosis in terms of neurological and other features. They also discuss the nomenclature of neuroacanthocytosis syndromes, specific clues to the diag
Chorea Series: Exploring medical and surgical management for chorea
Profs. Elena Moro and Ruth Walker discuss the management of chorea, including when this is appropriate. They focus on Huntington’s disease and the role of deep brain stimulation and other surgical interventions, in addition to medical management.
Chorea Series: Phenomenology of Chorea
Guest editor Dr. Ruth Walker kicks off this special series on chorea by interviewing Prof. Joseph Jankovic on the phenomenology and his approach to the clinical examination of the patient with chorea.
Chorea Series: Update on therapies for Huntington's disease
In the latest installment of the Chorea Special Series, Dr. Ruth Walker interviews Prof. Sarah Tabrizi about the current state of therapies for Huntington’s disease, and what is coming down the pipeline.
Clozapine in Parkinson's disease: Why, when and how?
Clozapine is a antipsychotic drug that has been marketed for decades. In this interview, Dr. Friedman shares his thoughts on its utility in Parkinson's disease along with some practical advices on how to use it in the clinic.
Read the article.
Cognitive and visuospatial abilities in dystonia
Dr. Sara Schaefer speaks with Dr. Carlos Camargo about the non-motor and prodromal features of dystonia. Read the article
Collegiality and friendship - MDS 40th Anniversary
To celebrate the 40th Anniversay of the MDS, Dr. Michele Matarazzo sits down with two key leaders of the MDS Asian Oceanian section, Prof. Carolyn Sue and Prof. Beomseok Jeon. Together they discuss the early years of movement disorder “rock stars,” how the society has changed through their eyes, and impacts it has had on their careers.
Combined habit reversal and acceptance and commitment therapies for tics
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.
Concomitant pathologies and their clinical impact in multiple system atrophy
Dr. Eduardo Fernandez discusses with Dr. Hiroaki Sekiya the surprising findings of his study evaluating the presence of concomitant pathologies and how they impact the disease progression in a large cohort of patients with MSA from the Mayo Clinic brain bank.
Read the article
COVID-19 and the Risk of Parkinsonism
Dr. Sara Schaefer discusses with Prof. Richard Smeyne how viruses including COVID-19 increase the susceptibility to oxidative stress-induced parkinsonism in mouse models, the historical evidence to support a virus-parkinsonism link, the biological basis for this correlation, and ways it may be prevented.
Journal CME is available until July 29, 2023
Read the article.
CSF proenkephalin as a biomarker for premotor Huntington's disease
Dr. Mena Farag joins Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández to discuss how proenkephalin and other biomarkers can help monitor the earliest stages of Huntington's disease decades before the onset of motor symptoms.
Journal CME is available until February 11, 2027
Read the article.
CSF1R-related disorder in China
Dr. Sara Schaefer speaks with Doctors Xiaojun Huang and Jingying Wu about the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of CSF1R-related disorder in a Chinese population, including unique clinical and radiographic characteristics.
Journal CME is available until May 21, 2025
Read the article.
Current genetic landscape for movement disorders • 2025 MDS Congress
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.
Current landscape of pediatric movement disorders • 2025 MDS Congress
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.
Current microbiome research for Parkinson's disease • 2025 MDS Congress
Prof. Paul Wilmes breaks down his #mdscongress talk discussing the recent studies on the influences of the gut microbiome on PD. He also dives into future goals and what interventions may be beneficial for PD.
Current status of functional neurosurgery • 2025 MDS Congress
There have been major breakthroughs in functional neurosurgery. Prof. Jill Ostrem breaks down the latest updates in the field, specifically surrounding adaptive DBS.
Decoding epilepsy dyskinesia syndrome: Clinical clues and genotypic spectrum
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.
Deep brain stimulation for GBA-related Parkinson's disease: is it a reasonable option?
In this special issue Dr. Avenali and Prof. Valente share the results on a large cohort study investigating the results and risks of deep brain stimulation in people with Parkinson's disease carrying a GBA mutation.
Read the article
Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson, beyond motor improvement: Social and occupational outcomes
In this interview, Prof. Günther Deuschl highlights the main results of the EARLYSTIM project, focusing on non-motor outcomes, and especially on the effects of DBS on Social and Occupational Functioning in Parkinson's Disease. Read the article
Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease dementia: are we there yet?
Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Prof. Marjan Jahanshahi on the long term results of the clinical trial of deep brain stimulation of the nucleus basalis of Meynert in people with Parkinson's disease dementia. In the discussion Prof. Jahanshahi shares thoughts on the future directions of the field.
Read the article.
Deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease with cognitive impairment: real-world evidence
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has long been considered a risky procedure for people with Parkinson's disease and cognitive impairment. In this interview, Dr. Miocinovic presents real-world data, showing that DBS might be safe and useful in carefully selected patients with moderate cognitive impairment.
Read the article.
Defining Parkinson's disease: where we are, where we are headed
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.
Definition and characteristics of early onset PSP: A different disease?
In this interview with Dr. Edwin Jabbari, we highlight the results of his study on the definition and genetic and neuropathological characteristics of early onset progressive supranuclear palsy. The full study is available on the September 2019 issue of the Movement Disorders journal. Read the article
Diagnosis of Late-Onset Wilson's Disease
Dr. Christelle Nilles talks with Dr. Hugo Morales Briceno about the clinical presentations of Wilson’s disease patients with onset after 40 years and the challenges of diagnosing patients with atypical neurological manifestations.
Read the article.
Differential diagnosis of myoclonus
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.
Disease modification and Parkinson’s disease: Clinical trial design and population selection • 2025 MDS Congress
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.
Disentangling the Cognitive Effects of Acute Levodopa in Parkinson's Disease
In this episode, Dr. Joseph Seemiller and Dr. Kelly Mills discuss the changes in cognitive performance in the OFF and ON states during an acute levodopa challenge in a large cohort of patients with Parkinson's disease. Their study's findings suggest divergent complex changes in processing speed and executive function.
Read the article »
Distinguishing functional from idiopathic dystonia: A novel approach
Functional dystonia can closely mimic idiopathic dystonia, and objective physiological markers to support the diagnosis are still limited. In this episode, Dr. Michele Matarazzo speaks with Prof. Roberto Eleopra about a pilot study using poly-EMG during a controlled propofol sedation protocol to help differentiate functional from idiopathic dystonia. They discuss the study’s rationale and design,
Do social workers play a role in preoperative evaluation for DBS?
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
Do subjective cognitive complaints predict future incident cognitive impairment in people with Parkinson's disease?
Dr. Eduardo Fernández and Dr. Daniel Weintraub discuss whether subjective cognitive complaints can predict future incident cognitive impairment and other questions related to early cognitive impairment in people with Parkinson's disease, referencing Dr. Weintraub’s recent article, "Association between subjective cognitive complaints and incident functional impairment in Parkinson's disease" publis
Does glucocerebrosidase activity correlate with disease risk or phenotype severity in Parkinson's disease?
A discussion with Dr. Avner Thaler on the findings and implications of a study on the background of importance of GBA mutations and GCase activity in Parkinson's disease. Read the Article.
Dystonia | Congress 2019
As part of the MDS Congress 2019 Special Issue, Dr. Sara Schaefer interviews Dr. Hyder Jinnah about notable research in dystonia and activities of the MDS Dystonia Study Group.
Dystonia Series: Beyond “torsion": non-motor features of dystonia
In part 2 of the Dystonia Special Series, Dr. Francesca Morgante interviews Dr. Davide Martino on the non-motor features of dystonia.
Dystonia Series: Current and future approaches to treatment of dystonia
In part 5 of the Dystonia Special Series, Dr. Francesca Morgante interviews Dr. Jill Ostrem about current and future approaches to treatment of dystonia.
Dystonia Series: Genetic landscape of dystonia
In part 3 of the Dystonia Special Series, Dr. Francesca Morgante interviews Prof. Carolyn Sue on the Genetic landscape of dystonia.
Dystonia Series: Pearls on diagnosis and phenomenology
In part 1 of the Dystonia Special Series, Dr. Francesca Morgante interviews Dr. Miryam Carecchio on pearls on diagnosis and phenomenology of dystonic syndrome.
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