Deep brain stimulation and neuromodulation therapies for movement disorders (Parkinson's disease and dystonia). Neurophysiologic studies of DBS mechanisms in non-human primates.
Research in my lab uses non-human primate models to address three primary questions:
1) What does the basal ganglia contribute to the control of movement and executive function in healthy individuals?
2) What pathophysiologic processes underlie the signs of basal ganglia-related disorders such as Parkinson's disease and dystonia?
3) How does deep brain stimulation (DBS) work to alleviate symptoms in Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, OCD/Tourette's, and an expanding array of other potential applications?
