The Kurt B Seydow Dystonia Foundation recently presented the Department of Neurology with a check for $192,000, raised at the 4th annual Kites2Kure Dystonia event. The gift will be used to advance scientific studies and research at the University of Minnesota, specifically advancing research on utilizing neurophysiological brain mapping and syncing tehcniques, which allows them to gain additional insight on the brain activity that may be the cause for developing dystonic symptoms. A HUGE thank you to the Kurt B Seydow Foundation, and all of their donors, for this incredible gift! See the video below for footage from this year's event.

M Physicians has published a terrific article about the wonderful work of Susan Vold, our Movement Disorders Nurse. Susan does an outstanding job of providing care to the patients we work with. Read more about Susan's work here. 

On September 15th, the Kurt B. Seydow Dystonia Foundation presented a check of $127k to the Department of Neurology from their 2nd annual "Kites 2 Kure" Dystonia Event. The donation will be used to fund Dystonia research at the U. Thanks to all who donated at Kites to Kure and save the date for next year's Kites2Kure Dystonia Event on Sunday, June 3rd, 2018! For more information on the Kurt B. Seydown Foundation, click here. 

Faced with worsening Parkinson’s disease symptoms, Kelly Cargill decided to undergo deep brain stimulation. The procedure helped her turn a corner in her battle against the disease. Click here to read more

A new journal article, Insights gleaned by measuring patient's stated goals for DBS: More than tremor, was recently published in Neurology. Udall members, Dr. Scott Cooper and Dr. Jerrold Vitek were co-authors on the article. The abstract can be found here. 

Dr. Jerrold L. Vitek, Udall Director and Chair of the Department of Neurology, discussed in a November 5th Star Tribune article the progress and potential of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to help patients struggling with a variety of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD). The research uses a method called "closed-loop stimulation" in its DBS procedures, which triggers pulses only when abnormal neural patterns are recognized. This new method also has the potential to reduce post-surgery side effects, such as headaches and dizziness. "This [procedure] has already gone far beyond what anyone thought it could be," said Dr. Vitek. "But we believe that we can fine-tune this even more, so people can have a much better quality of life." Dr. Vitek and his colleagues are also seeking to develop a novel pattern of stimulation called coordinated reset that he says "is a very new and exciting approach." Both closed-loop stimulation and "coordinated reset" "are novel and will provide additional benefits for patients with PD who undergo DBS," says Dr. Vitek.

Twin Cities Father to Undergo Cutting-Edge Brain Surgery at U. 

UMN Sparks, hosted by the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, will take place on Tuesday, October 18 at 7pm in Marshall, MN.

Dr. Matthew Johnson, from the Udall Center, and other University of Minnesota experts will offer new insight into our health, our economy, and our lives.

To RSVP please visit the M SPARKS Registration page

For more information visit the M SPARKS website

Deep brain stimulation regulates the abnormal signals that cause many Parkinson’s disease symptoms, according to University of Minnesota Health Neurosurgeon Michael C. Park, MD, PhD.

Neurosurgeon Michael C. Park, MD, PhD, oversees and conducts a procedure called deep brain stimulation, also known as neuro-modulation. The therapy can help relieve Parkinson's disease symptoms, and may have broader utility as a treatment for other neurological disorders.

Read the full article on the MHealth Blog