Michael Okun
@michaelokun.bsky.social
NY Times Besting Author of the Parkinson’s Plan, Medical Advisor Parkinson Foundation, Author 15 books http://pdplan.org Distinguished Professor and Director of the Fixel, Associate Editor JAMA Neurology, co-founder @DBSThinkTank
Pinned
Check out my new Substack column in Parkinson's & Brain Health:
Rebuilding Care for Chronic Diseases:
Fund Boldly, Listen Closely, Act Together
cutt.ly/etp3pk50
@parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #parkinson #alzheimer #pain
Rebuilding Care for Chronic Diseases:
Fund Boldly, Listen Closely, Act Together
cutt.ly/etp3pk50
@parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #parkinson #alzheimer #pain
Do you know why some dystonia cases improve faster following GPi DBS? Enrique Martinez Nunez and colleagues describe in a new paper that just dropped in Movement Disorders, how brain network connections help predict who improves 'earlier' following GPi DBS for dystonia. #dystonia
January 3, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Do you know why some dystonia cases improve faster following GPi DBS? Enrique Martinez Nunez and colleagues describe in a new paper that just dropped in Movement Disorders, how brain network connections help predict who improves 'earlier' following GPi DBS for dystonia. #dystonia
A Tribute to Mark Hallett, MD (1943-2025): A life that shaped how we understand movement and the brain. Jankovic and Deuschl describe in a moving tribute, published in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, the life work and lasting impact of Mark Hallett. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
January 3, 2026 at 12:34 PM
A Tribute to Mark Hallett, MD (1943-2025): A life that shaped how we understand movement and the brain. Jankovic and Deuschl describe in a moving tribute, published in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, the life work and lasting impact of Mark Hallett. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
Cortico-basal rhythms reveal how the brain changes during DBS. Lawrence, Little and colleagues describe in a new paper that just dropped in Brain how cortico-basal oscillations track natural everyday movements in individuals receiving deep brain stimulation for PD. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
January 2, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Cortico-basal rhythms reveal how the brain changes during DBS. Lawrence, Little and colleagues describe in a new paper that just dropped in Brain how cortico-basal oscillations track natural everyday movements in individuals receiving deep brain stimulation for PD. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
How about skin biopsies for Lewy Body Dementia? Check out this new paper that just dropped. New paper in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology shows how detecting phosphorylated alpha synuclein in skin biopsies may help identify Lewy body dementia. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
January 1, 2026 at 1:22 PM
How about skin biopsies for Lewy Body Dementia? Check out this new paper that just dropped. New paper in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology shows how detecting phosphorylated alpha synuclein in skin biopsies may help identify Lewy body dementia. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
Can we salvage GCase to develop better treatments for Parkinson’s and especially GBA1 genetic related Parkinson's? New paper in Movement Disorders how small molecule therapies are being developed to rescue glucocerebrosidase function in GBA1 associated Parkinsonism. #parkinson
December 31, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Can we salvage GCase to develop better treatments for Parkinson’s and especially GBA1 genetic related Parkinson's? New paper in Movement Disorders how small molecule therapies are being developed to rescue glucocerebrosidase function in GBA1 associated Parkinsonism. #parkinson
Looking for a better approach to treat your low back pain? Check out a new randomized JAMA trial. For acute or subacute low back pain, clinician-supported self-management "resulted in a small reduction in disability, but not pain, over a follow-up time of one year vs. medical care." #pain
December 31, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Looking for a better approach to treat your low back pain? Check out a new randomized JAMA trial. For acute or subacute low back pain, clinician-supported self-management "resulted in a small reduction in disability, but not pain, over a follow-up time of one year vs. medical care." #pain
Long-Term Tofersen: Could targeting SOD1 change ALS trajectory? Spoiler alert: YES. Miller and colleagues describe in a new paper in JAMA Neurology the long-term outcomes of Tofersen in SOD1 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, integrating the VALOR trial and its open-label extension.
December 30, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Long-Term Tofersen: Could targeting SOD1 change ALS trajectory? Spoiler alert: YES. Miller and colleagues describe in a new paper in JAMA Neurology the long-term outcomes of Tofersen in SOD1 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, integrating the VALOR trial and its open-label extension.
Parkinson’s disease and male sexual health, do you know the neural pathways underpinning the dysfunction? Rafetto and colleagues describe in a new paper in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease a practical road map for evaluating and managing male sexual dysfunction in Parkinson’s.
cutt.ly/OtfIo0zH
cutt.ly/OtfIo0zH
December 29, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Parkinson’s disease and male sexual health, do you know the neural pathways underpinning the dysfunction? Rafetto and colleagues describe in a new paper in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease a practical road map for evaluating and managing male sexual dysfunction in Parkinson’s.
cutt.ly/OtfIo0zH
cutt.ly/OtfIo0zH
What truly matters most in Parkinson’s disease? Spoiler alert: you have to ask the people w/ Parkinson’s to get the real answer(s). What folks living w/ Parkinson’s say matters most for their quality of life. How priorities differ from person to person are important considerations. #parkinson
December 28, 2025 at 2:47 PM
What truly matters most in Parkinson’s disease? Spoiler alert: you have to ask the people w/ Parkinson’s to get the real answer(s). What folks living w/ Parkinson’s say matters most for their quality of life. How priorities differ from person to person are important considerations. #parkinson
Should we use 'early amantadine' to tame dyskinesia before it starts? Rascol and colleagues describe in a new paper in Movement Disorders how adding immediate release amantadine early to levodopa therapy may reduce the manifestation of dyskinesia in PD. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
December 27, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Should we use 'early amantadine' to tame dyskinesia before it starts? Rascol and colleagues describe in a new paper in Movement Disorders how adding immediate release amantadine early to levodopa therapy may reduce the manifestation of dyskinesia in PD. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
Non-invasive brain stimulation is stepping up to be part of future neurology. Rektorová and colleagues describe in a new paper in Nature Reviews Neurology how non-invasive brain stimulation is being used today, and where it may be headed. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social @brainstimulation.bsky.social
December 26, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Non-invasive brain stimulation is stepping up to be part of future neurology. Rektorová and colleagues describe in a new paper in Nature Reviews Neurology how non-invasive brain stimulation is being used today, and where it may be headed. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social @brainstimulation.bsky.social
Can Christmas calm the Parkinson's brain? Feldmann, Neumann colleagues describe in a paper in Movement Disorders how Christmas alters brain signals recorded from deep brain stimulation systems in the setting of Parkinson’s disease. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #christmas #xmas
December 25, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Can Christmas calm the Parkinson's brain? Feldmann, Neumann colleagues describe in a paper in Movement Disorders how Christmas alters brain signals recorded from deep brain stimulation systems in the setting of Parkinson’s disease. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #christmas #xmas
What can the heart reveal in Parkinson’s? A new peek through the eyes of an echocardiogram. Echocardiography is a heart ultrasound that measures how well the heart muscle moves and relaxes. Detailed heart ultrasound measures may possibly uncover early cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in PD.
December 24, 2025 at 12:40 PM
What can the heart reveal in Parkinson’s? A new peek through the eyes of an echocardiogram. Echocardiography is a heart ultrasound that measures how well the heart muscle moves and relaxes. Detailed heart ultrasound measures may possibly uncover early cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in PD.
Could LRRK2 be a hidden switch in Parkinson’s even beyond genetic forms of the disease? Lang and colleagues describe in a new paper in Movement Disorder that LRRK2 biology may help drive Parkinson’s even in folks who do not carry LRRK2 mutations. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
December 23, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Could LRRK2 be a hidden switch in Parkinson’s even beyond genetic forms of the disease? Lang and colleagues describe in a new paper in Movement Disorder that LRRK2 biology may help drive Parkinson’s even in folks who do not carry LRRK2 mutations. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
Dairy fat and dementia, do you know what the data shows? Spoiler alert: HIGH fat cheese and cream associated w/ lower dementia risk. A large long-term study examining how different types of dairy related to dementia risk. There were more than two decades of follow-up. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
December 22, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Dairy fat and dementia, do you know what the data shows? Spoiler alert: HIGH fat cheese and cream associated w/ lower dementia risk. A large long-term study examining how different types of dairy related to dementia risk. There were more than two decades of follow-up. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
Do shared genes blur the lines across 14 psychiatric disorders? New paper in Nature. Genetic landscape refers to the full pattern of shared and unique DNA variants that influence risk across multiple conditions, rather than a single diagnosis. Deep genetic overlap among 14 psychiatric disorders.
December 21, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Do shared genes blur the lines across 14 psychiatric disorders? New paper in Nature. Genetic landscape refers to the full pattern of shared and unique DNA variants that influence risk across multiple conditions, rather than a single diagnosis. Deep genetic overlap among 14 psychiatric disorders.
Can pain rewrite or rewire the nervous system? A new review just dropped in NEJM on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Goebel and colleagues describe complex regional pain syndrome and walk us through how this condition emerges after injury or surgery, and how it should be recognized and managed. #pain
December 20, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Can pain rewrite or rewire the nervous system? A new review just dropped in NEJM on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Goebel and colleagues describe complex regional pain syndrome and walk us through how this condition emerges after injury or surgery, and how it should be recognized and managed. #pain
Could wearable AI nerve stimulation calm essential tremor and help folks in their daily tasks? A new randomized study in JAMA Neurology says YES. Randomized trial testing a novel AI driven transcutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation for essential tremor through a wrist worn device. #tremor
December 19, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Could wearable AI nerve stimulation calm essential tremor and help folks in their daily tasks? A new randomized study in JAMA Neurology says YES. Randomized trial testing a novel AI driven transcutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation for essential tremor through a wrist worn device. #tremor
Should we use antiviral therapy for Alzheimer’s? A new randomized study in JAMA says NO. Devanand and colleagues just dropped a new randomized clinical trial in JAMA examining whether valacyclovir, an antiviral used for herpes infections, could slow early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease. #alzheimer
December 18, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Should we use antiviral therapy for Alzheimer’s? A new randomized study in JAMA says NO. Devanand and colleagues just dropped a new randomized clinical trial in JAMA examining whether valacyclovir, an antiviral used for herpes infections, could slow early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease. #alzheimer
Can we predict the disease trajectory of ALS? This new paper provides insights on ALS related functional declines. Lillelund and colleagues describe in a new paper in PLoS One how multi-event survival analysis could be used to forecast meaningful functional decline for folks living w/ ALS. #ALS
December 17, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Can we predict the disease trajectory of ALS? This new paper provides insights on ALS related functional declines. Lillelund and colleagues describe in a new paper in PLoS One how multi-event survival analysis could be used to forecast meaningful functional decline for folks living w/ ALS. #ALS
Have we reached a unified path forward for multiple sclerosis? Enter the new 2025 MS Criteria. The field has reached a major turning point in creating a unified diagnostic approach for MS. Biology, imaging and spinal fluid markers together aid in diagnosing MS earlier and more accurately. #MS
December 16, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Have we reached a unified path forward for multiple sclerosis? Enter the new 2025 MS Criteria. The field has reached a major turning point in creating a unified diagnostic approach for MS. Biology, imaging and spinal fluid markers together aid in diagnosing MS earlier and more accurately. #MS
Check out my new Substack column in Parkinson's & Brain Health:
Rebuilding Care for Chronic Diseases:
Fund Boldly, Listen Closely, Act Together
cutt.ly/etp3pk50
@parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #parkinson #alzheimer #pain
Rebuilding Care for Chronic Diseases:
Fund Boldly, Listen Closely, Act Together
cutt.ly/etp3pk50
@parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #parkinson #alzheimer #pain
December 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Check out my new Substack column in Parkinson's & Brain Health:
Rebuilding Care for Chronic Diseases:
Fund Boldly, Listen Closely, Act Together
cutt.ly/etp3pk50
@parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #parkinson #alzheimer #pain
Rebuilding Care for Chronic Diseases:
Fund Boldly, Listen Closely, Act Together
cutt.ly/etp3pk50
@parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #parkinson #alzheimer #pain
Can we reawaken stepping after spinal cord injury? This research group says YES, and showed us evidence in their experiment: applied closed-loop spinal stimulation to restore walking function. Hint: They linked hand muscle activity w/ magnetic spinal stimulation. @spinalinjuries.bsky.social
December 15, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Can we reawaken stepping after spinal cord injury? This research group says YES, and showed us evidence in their experiment: applied closed-loop spinal stimulation to restore walking function. Hint: They linked hand muscle activity w/ magnetic spinal stimulation. @spinalinjuries.bsky.social
Looking for a good review on alpha synuclein and Parkinson’s disease? Alpha synuclein shifts from helper protein to potential troublemaker and may drive early synaptic dysfunction, inflammation and ultimately cell loss in PD and related synucleinopathies. #parkinson
December 14, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Looking for a good review on alpha synuclein and Parkinson’s disease? Alpha synuclein shifts from helper protein to potential troublemaker and may drive early synaptic dysfunction, inflammation and ultimately cell loss in PD and related synucleinopathies. #parkinson
Can the idea of ‘Hopamine’ spark a new path for Parkinson’s and neurological care? Marina Noordegraaf and colleagues describe in the Journal of PD how the concept of ‘Hopamine’ may serve as a powerful complement to dopamine replacement therapies. #parkinson @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
December 13, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Can the idea of ‘Hopamine’ spark a new path for Parkinson’s and neurological care? Marina Noordegraaf and colleagues describe in the Journal of PD how the concept of ‘Hopamine’ may serve as a powerful complement to dopamine replacement therapies. #parkinson @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social