On July 18, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health expanded its services to offer a complete approach to Parkinson's Disease (PD) and other movement disorders.

Ryan Walsh, MD, PhD, a physician and scientist specializing in PD, is the new director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program. While the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health has traditionally focused on neurocognitive disorders, Dr. Walsh feels that common features shared by Alzheimer's disease (AD) and PD make his program a natural fit.

"Parkinson's is not simply a movement disorder; it also has important nonmotor features. As Parkinson's progresses, problems with cognition often become a major issue," he says. In PD, executive functioning - the ability to plan, strategize, execute a plan, and multi-task - is particularly affected. "Every Parkinson's patient is impacted to a degree," says Dr. Walsh. "The good news is that recent evidence suggests that physical therapy, cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy may enhance cognitive as well as physical function in PD."

In addition to the new Dr. Walsh's new PD program, the center recently added a Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy program that is available to patients. PD affects nerve cells in the brain called neurons, but the cause of the disease is unknown; thus, research will be an integral part of Dr. Walsh's program. He plans to expand the center's program of clinical trials to Investigate medications to slow disease progression or alleviate symptoms, and will also examine other interventions, such as exercise and physical, cognitive and behavioral therapy.

Dr. Walsh looks forward to the day research uncovers the reason behind why neurons die, not only for patients with PD, but for those whose disease shares a common link.

"If we can slow the death of neurons in Parkinson's, it is very likely to impact the treatment of Alzheimer's," he says.

For more information, visit www.ClevelandClinic.org/BrainHealth or call (702) 483-6000.

Photo:  Ryan Walsh, MD, PhD, director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health