Parkinson's Disease
Make an appointment
Please call (804) 360-4669 to schedule an appointment.
The VCU Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center strives to provide a seamless experience for the movement disorders community by providing access to clinicians from a variety of disciplines in one location. You may be referred by your doctor or you may directly make an appointment for yourself or a family member.
We offer evaluation and care for the full spectrum of movement disorders, including Parkinson's Disease.
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson’s disease (PD) stems from a widespread brain disease process that is mostly sporadic, or irregular, but in a small minority of cases is due to one of several gene mutations. PD presents in most patients as a movement disorder with tremor, stiffness of muscles, slowness of actions and balance impairments. Over the course of the disease individuals can also experience mood problems, sleep problems, memory and thinking problems, low blood pressure, urinary and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Movement symptoms in PD are managed with drugs and deep brain stimulation. There are many effective treatments for the other problems experienced by PD patients.
Positive findings in the laboratory have moved new therapies into clinical testing, taking our research from bench to bedside. The VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center encourages PD patients to participate in our clinical studies.
Interdisciplinary evaluation
The VCU Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Center interdisciplinary evaluation allows patients to access sub-specialty care providers in one location. This evaluation will include assessments by the professionals described below, and will result in a comprehensive treatment plan that will address each individual's needs. This treatment plan will be shared with other healthcare providers managing a patient's care.
- Movement Disorder Neurology
- The movement disorder neurologist evaluation includes assessment of symptoms, including non-motor features such as gastrointestinal and sleep problems.
- Clinical Neuropsychology
- The neuropsychologist examines thinking skills such as attention, speed of thinking, visual and language skills, learning and memory, problem-solving, reasoning, and other brain and behavior functions including mood and quality of life.
- Physical Therapy
- The physical therapist evaluates conditioning, balance, coordination and motor skills.
- Speech Therapy
- The speech therapist evaluates speaking and swallowing.
As part of VCU Medical Center, our patients have access to other services as recommended by our team.
Care and treatment
We offer state-of-the-art medical and surgical treatment options. Our movement disorders specialists are able to provide individual treatment recommendations and referrals as appropriate.
Our center offers access to a variety of treatment options, including:
- Botulinum toxin injections
- Carbidopa/levodopa enteral suspension for advanced Parkinson's disease
- Deep Brain Stimulation surgery and post-surgical programming and support
- Mindfulness therapy
Our team will provide recommendations and work with you and your family to determine the best treatments for you.
Other services
Other services available include geriatric psychiatry, genetic counseling, and evaluation for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery and post-surgical DBS programming.
Research
We are committed to advancing the understanding of movement disorders, in terms of both defining biological causes and developing new treatments. Ongoing clinical research is necessary to achieve this important goal. A unique feature of our center is the on-site collaboration of clinical providers from several disciplines that bring a diverse perspective to clinical research studies.
If you are interested in being contacted about opportunities to participate in research studies at our center, please complete and return this form to Ginger Norris. You can drop it off at our office or mail to her attention to PO Box 980539, Richmond, VA 23298.
A complete listing of our current research projects is available online.
Telemedicine services
We offer telemedicine consultations to patients on Virginia's Eastern Shore in partnership with Dr. Robert Paschall of Riverside Neurology Specialists.
Telemedicine uses secure technology to connect two locations with video and sound through a computer, allowing for access to our specialists without having to travel long distances.
Patients go to Dr. Paschall's office, where a computer with special video equipment will securely connected to a similarly equipped computer at the VCU Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center in Richmond. Dr. Leslie Cloud is the VCU neurologist who provides these consultations. She talks with the patient and family members using a video chat program on the computer. The computer software and connections are secured using special technology to ensure that private health information is protected.
Dr. Cloud provides advice for ongoing care and treatment for patients with movement disorders, and Dr. Paschall and his office help to facilitate any follow-up testing or prescriptions.
Dr. Paschall and his staff arrange telemedicine appointments. Please contact his office at (757) 442-6600 with any questions or to set up an appointment.
Education
In additional to clinical care services, we also offer resources and education opportunities. You do not have to be a current patient to participate.
Upcoming educational conferences
We also host a Parkinson's disease support group at our center:
- Women's Support Group - for women diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or other movement disorder
Meets the 2nd Friday of each month at 10am
Contact Eliza Janus, pdcenter@vcuhealth.org or (804) 628-2659