Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Institute

The Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Institute is an outpatient unit within the Department of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine. We specialize in the diagnosis and management of Parkinson's disease and other disorders affecting movement. Using a team approach, dedicated to providing individualized, compassionate and comprehensive care, we offer the latest diagnostic and state of the art treatment options for Parkinson's and related diseases, as well as dystonia, ataxia, chorea, tic disorders and hemifacial spasm.

We work with a multidisciplinary team of specialists including neuropsychologists, therapists and allied health personnel to optimize each person's care. Our staff also provides valuable resources for patients, families and caregivers. The Program offers botulinum toxin therapy for patients with dystonia and other involuntary movements, and, together with the Center for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery directed by Michael G. Kaplitt, MD, PhD, we offer at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital the latest in surgical treatment for Parkinson's disease, dystonia and tremor.

We are involved in a number of studies providing interested patients with the opportunity to participate in developing a better understanding and treatment of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. Ongoing pharmacotherapy trials, in conjunction with other research centers, also provide the option for patients to try new therapeutics.

To make a donation to the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program, please make checks payable to Weill Cornell Medicine Neurology  and forward the checks to the following address:

Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Neurology Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program

525 East 68th Street, F-607

New York, NY 10065

Your donation is greatly appreciated and will help our programs continue to pursue excellence in medicine and provide superior patient care to the community.

Study Title:  A Study to Assess the Safety and Tolerability of Surgical Implant of MSK-DA01 Cells for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease   

Abbreviated Inclusion Criteria:  

1. Diagnosed with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease at least 5 years prior to enrollment

2. Has medication off time by at least 2 hours every day

3. Age 60 to 76

4. Able to give informed consent

5. Has study partner

6. Either not an ideal deep brain stimulation candidate or has been adequately counseled about DBS but will proceed with cell-based therapy

Time Horizon:  Earliest in March 2021

Enrollment Period: 2 years with subsequent safety monitoring to follow

This is a pilot focusing on the safety of implanting dopaminergic precursor cells into the deep structures of the brain for patients with Parkinson’s disease and levodopa-induced complications.  The primary goals are to determine the safety and the durability of the cells.  Secondarily there are efficacy measurements that will be performed.  We hope to recruit 10 participants in the study.  They will have screening and follow up evaluations at the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Institute at Weill Cornell Medicine, have specialized PET scans at Northwell Health, and their surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering.  Following the surgery the participants will require immunosuppressive therapy for approximately a year.  Should the safety be established and there are exploratory markers of efficacy, subsequent larger trials will be planned to determine the efficacy of this treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease who are taking dopaminergic therapy.  If proven efficacious, cell-based therapies may provide an additional advanced surgical option for Parkinson’s patients, for whom deep brain stimulation and in some cases MRI-guided focused ultrasound are the only available options.