Special Programs
The F. E. Dreifuss Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
The Comprehensive Movement Disorders Program
The Comprehensive Movement Disorders Program provides diagnostic, treatment, rehabilitative, and support services to patients with movement disorders and their families by an interdisciplinary team of neurologists, neuropsychologists, neuroradiologists, rehabilitation specialists, and neurosurgeons.
Patients can obtain the following services:
- Consultation
- Advanced neuroimaging testing
- Expert medical management of tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, dyskinesias, and akinesia
- Surgical interventions such as pallidotomy, deep brain stimulation
- Therapy and rehabilitative services
The James Q. Miller Consultative Multiple Sclerosis Clinic
The James Q. Miller Consultative Multiple Sclerosis Clinic is a growing effort to provide comprehensive support for the multi-faceted needs of the MS patient. The following clinical services are available:
- Diagnostic evaluations
- Second opinion assessments
- Drug therapy trials
- Multi-disciplinary approach to functional and cognitive assessments, utilizing physical and occupational therapy, social work, and neuropsychology.
- Telemedicine access for neurological consultations
Elective clinical rotations are offered to residents.
APDA/Virginia Information & Referrals
Patients with Parkinson's disease are referred to The APDA Parkinson's Disease Information and Referral Center for information and educational materials. The Center also conducts conferences for professionals, patients, and caregivers.
Huntington's Disease Program
The Huntington's Disease Program offers services for patients with HD and their families. These include a monthly multidisciplinary clinic for HD patients and a predictive testing program, which follows the guidelines recommended by the Huntington's Disease Society of America.
Neuroscientists and clinicians from several divisions currently are working together in a translational research model to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these disorders, understand the biological basis for improved pharmacologic therapies of neurodegenerative diseases, identify new treatment options for these patients, and test these options in controlled clinical trials. Patients eligible for drug trials can be identified easily through the Movement Disorders Database that stores confidential patient demographic information and provides valuable data on disease progression, responsiveness to treatment, and clinical outcomes.
A fellowship is offered, and residents may spend elective time working in any facet of this program.
The Comprehensive Stroke Program
On an elective basis, residents may rotate through the Comprehensive Stroke Program, which coordinates the activities of a multidiscipliary team of specialists involved in the diagnosis, treatment and research of cerebrovascular disease.
The clinical arm of the program is responsible for patient care in the following:
- Clinics
- The fully monitored Stroke Unit
- An inpatient consultation service
- Programs utilizing radiosurgery (with the Gamma Knife)
- Endovascular surgery/interventional neuroradiology
- The Neurovascular Laboratory
The Neuroclinical Trials Center coordinates national and international clinical research trials such as International Cooperative Aneurysm Study. Basic research into vasospasm and cerebral ischemia is carried out in the 5,000 square-foot neurosurgery laboratories.
Elective rotations for residents and fellowship training are offered.
The Neuromuscular Disease Program
The Neuromuscular Disease Program is devoted to the investigation and treatment of peripheral neuropathies, neuromuscular junction disorders, myopathies, and motor neuron diseases. Activities within the program include the following:
- Neuromuscular clinics
- Inpatient consultation services
- Electrodiagnostic/electromyographic evaluations
- A fellowship program
- Clinical research/treatment trials
The Electromyography Laboratory is an integral part of the Neuromuscular Disease Program and consists of four electrodiagnostic examination rooms along with additional rooms for warming, technical staff, and housestaff.
An active didactic program is available to residents and fellows and involves weekly conferences in neuromuscular diseases, electromyography/electrodiagnosis, and peripheral nerve/muscle pathology. Residents are encouraged to participate in ongoing clinical research, including treatment trials for a number of neuromuscular disorders.
Center for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases
The Neuro-Oncology Center
The UVA Neuro-Oncology Center is dedicated to providing treatment of adults and children with brain tumors. Their philosophy of care is to offer patients and their families a full spectrum of innovative, advanced treatments within a coordinated, team-based approach focusing on maximizing quality of life.
The Neuro-Oncology team includes highly skilled and experienced clinicians and researchers from Neurosurgery, Neurology, Internal Medicine and Radiation Oncology. They also use the expertise of specialists from Neuroradiology, Neuropathology, Neuropsychology, Palliative Care and the Cancer Center. There are also social workers, nutritionists, educators, chaplains pharmacists on the team.
The Neuro-Oncology Center Research Page
Other Programs
Special Programs at Western State Hospital (WSH)Faculty members consult at WSH and see patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders and those with movement disorders. Residents do their psychiatry rotation at WSH and may spend elective time there.
In addition to clinical and research activities at WSH, the ADRC also maintains the Brain Resource Facility, a resource for preservation of neural tissue for research. Memory disorder clinics are held in the NOPU, and Alzheimer's disease patients participating in clinical trials are seen at the Neurology Clinical Trials Center at Fontaine. Patients with suspected dementia are often evaluated by the department's clinical neuropsychologist who runs the Neuropsychological Consultation Service.
Brain Resource Facility
Cobb Hall Research
The Department of Neurology operates eight basic research laboratories within a total of 7,700 square feet of space. Seven of the laboratories are in Cobb Hall, and one is in the Barringer Wing; both buildings are next to the neurology faculty offices and close to the Neurologic Outpatient Unit. A new state-of-the art neuroscience research facility is being planned to bring neuroscience researchers from various departments under one roof; this will increase interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange of information and resources. Please see the clinical and basic research sections of the residency description and the research brochure for information about departmental research.
The Neurology Clinical Trials Center at Fontaine Research Park
Clinical research is carried out primarily in the department's clinical trials center, which is located in the newly constructed Health Services Foundation Building. This is a 2,400 square-foot space with six exam rooms, study coordinator offices, physician office, laboratory room, conference room, record storage room, secure drug storage room, and two waiting areas, one of which is "secure" for patients with dementia and related disorders. The center is a five-minute drive or fifteen-minute walk from the University Hospital.
Residents may spend elective time working on one or more of the many clinical research projects within the department. Additionally, other departmental clinical research is conducted in the Neurologic Outpatient Unit and on the inpatient services.
Fontaine Research Park
Neurorehabilitation Program
The Division of Neurorehabilitation of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment and rehabilitative care of persons with a variety of acute and chronic neurologic disorders including traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. Specialized services include assessment for admission to the Acute Neurorehabilitation Unit or Neurorecovery Day Treatment Program at the UVa-HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, and prescription of a focused, specific outpatient therapy program. Residents who have an interest in learning more about the principles and practices of neurorehabilitation have the opportunity to spend elective time working in the in- and/or outpatient setting(s).