Neurosurgeons offer treatments for movement disorders, pain

NEW YORK - The Department of Neurosurgery at NYU Langone Medical Center has established a unique, multidisciplinary neuromodulation center for the treatment of complex neurological conditions including movement disorders like Parkinson's disease, chronic pain and psychiatric condition such as obsessive compulsive disorder and severe depression.

"Neuromodulation includes deep brain stimulation (DBS), spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation as well as targeted drug delivery – procedures that are minimally invasive and are safe alternative for those suffering from these conditions," said Alon Y. Mogilner, MD, PhD, faculty member, Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Neuromodulation Center at NYU Langone.

DBS uses mild electrical stimulation to restore or improve function or reduce pain by correcting abnormal electrical or chemical activity in the brain. A small pulse-generator is inserted just below the skin by a specially-trained neurosurgeon, which transmits pulses through microelectrodes applied to targeted areas in the brain or along nerves known to be associated with the condition. The program generating the pulses can be easily reversed, modified or turned off for periods of time to offer more flexible treatment and measurable results.

The Center specializes in two types of neuromodulation techniques, deep brain stimulation (DBS), an FDA-approved treatment successful for helping patients with complex movement disorders and peripheral neurostimulation (PNS), a growing specialty for potentially treating chronic headaches or severe facial pain – which can cause disabling psychological, sociological or financial distress and an inability to work or maintain healthy relationships.

The Neuromodulation Center is also conducting research investigating the effectiveness of DBS in treating disorders such as depression and Tourette's syndrome, as well as clinical trials utilizing the latest advantages in technology to better treat Parkinson's disease. Scientists and clinicians anticipate neuromodulation will also result in effective treatment for headache pain, psychiatric disorders and neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

NYU Langone was ranked among the best neurosurgery departments in the country in U.S. News & World Report 2011-2012 Best Hospitals issue. The neurosurgery faculty specializes in the research and treatment of conditions impacting the brain and nervous system, from head and spinal cord injuries to subarachnoid hemorrhage and vasospasm, intracranial tumors and minimally invasive approaches to intracranial neoplasms by computer-assisted stereotactic methods.

NYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class, patient-centered, integrated, academic medical center, is one on the nation's premier centers for excellence in clinical care, biomedical research and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of four hospitals - Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, one of only five hospitals in the nation dedicated to orthopaedics and rheumatology; Hassenfeld Pediatric Center, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children's health services; and the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, the world's first university-affiliated facility devoted entirely to rehabilitation medicine– plus NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. The medical center's tri-fold mission to serve, teach and discover is achieved 365 days a year through the seamless integration of a culture devoted to excellence in patient care, education and research.