Movement disorders

At Westmead Hospital, a team of dedicated doctors, nurses, researchers, collaborators, students and fellows on a quest to improve the way we treat complex neurological conditions, like Parkinsons Disease, multiple sclerosis and motor neuron disease.

Within the Movement Disorders Unit at Westmead, the Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorder Research Centre is conducting a number of clinical trials that could bring new hope to thousands of Australians with movement disorders.

Highlights

To find better treatments and a cure for Parkinsons Disease, researchers are exploring:

  • Muscle power and balance impairment
  • Impulse control disorders
  • The impact of falls on quality of life
  • The relationship between cortical excitability (stimulation of nerves in the brain), motor impairment and drug treatments
  • Portable, computerised measurement of slowed movement
  • The treatment of gait freezing

To provide better care and understanding of Huntingtons Disease, and work toward a cure, the team is researching:

  • Early onset medication before the disease has its full impact
  • New drug treatments
  • Measuring the progression of the disease
  • Effective means of care delivery
  • Studying the complex ethical issues posed by Huntington Disease

Meet Dr Elizabeth McCusker, passionate about her Huntingons Disease research >>


In addition, the team is exploring innovative new treatments for a number of other conditions that impact our movement, providing new hope for people suffering:

  • Dystonic cerebral palsy
  • Psychogenic movement disorders
  • Stiff man syndrome
  • Focal dystonia
  • Bilateral simultaneous movements by the brain
  • Motor neuron disease
  • Multiple sclerosis

    Please help us in our mission to reduce suffering and save lives. You can make an immediate and positive difference today.

    Understanding Parkinsons Disease

    Parkinson's Disease is a progressive neurological condition that affects about one in every 500 people, mostly over the age of 50. However, 10 percent of people with Parkinson's develop their symptoms under the age of 40.

    The disease causes nerve cells in the brain to die. This limits the production of a chemical called dopamine, without which patients find movement to be slower and more difficult.

    The main symptoms are tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement, but people with the disease may also experience tiredness, pain and depression.

    There is no cure for Parkinson's, and no answer to why some people develop it. Yet.