Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders Center
Research
The USF Health Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders Center has been involved in the evaluation and development of new medication and surgical procedures for Parkinson's Disease. Multiple independent and sponsored studies are conducted at our center. Dr. Hauser has been at the helm of Parkinson’s discovery for several decades now, charting a bold course into the unknown of an incurable condition – through research, innovation and seeking enhanced treatments.
For more information on research, publications and news please visit the USF Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center.
Interested in Research?
The USF Health Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center is committed to advancing treatments and improving the quality of life for individuals living with Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. Please take a moment to complete our survey if you are interested in learning more about research opportunities and how you can make an impact:
Research in the News
An Elusive Diagnosis – Parkinson's
Dr. Robert Hauser, Director of the USF Health Byrd Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center, discusses the biological causes and symptoms of Parkinson's Disease and how the disease impact patients.
Watch the story of Gary, a retired Wall Street worker as he describes his journey living with Parkinson's Disease.
FDA approves new Parkinson’s treatment based on clinical trial led by USF Health faculty
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved on Aug. 7 a new medication that lasts longer and requires fewer doses for treating Parkinson’s Disease, potentially offering patients significant relief from the disease’s debilitating symptoms.
Robert Hauser, MD, MBA, was principal investigator for the multisite randomized, double-blind clinical trial that included 105 academic and clinical centers in the United States and Europe. He and colleagues published the findings last summer in JAMA Neurology.
Read more about how USF Health is leading clinical research with a new FDA approved Parkinson’s treatment.
Additional news coverage:
New formulation of Parkinson’s medication offers hope for patients
The findings by Dr. Hauser and colleagues were recently published in JAMA Neurology, a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Medical Association. At the core is a novel method of boosting decreased dopamine levels with an extended-release formulation of the existing medication – carbidopa-levodopa.
“In Parkinson’s Disease, people are losing neurons in the brain that make dopamine,” said the professor of Neurology in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “Once they’ve lost 50 percent of those neurons and the chemical dopamine is reduced by half, they develop motor signs of Parkinson’s – slow and small movements, stiffness and tremors.”
- Learn more about the USF Health Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders Center New Formulation of Parkinson’s Medication.
- For more information on research and publications, please visit USF Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center.