What's New: 
Dr. Arif Dalvi named Director of Movement Disorder program; Dr. Ashvini Premkumar named Associate Director

Dr. Arif Dalvi recently led a chat on Deep Brain Stimulation for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease 

NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) is a recognized leader in treatment of Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s-related syndromes, dystonia, tremor, tics, hemifacial spasm and spasticity. PD is the second most common neuro-degenerative disease following Alzheimer’s.

 Team Care Advantage

Our Movement Disorders team takes a holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's and related conditions. We are involved in several research trials aimed at early detection and our specialists are at the forefront of new drug treatments, participating in clinical trials to ensure that our patients have access to the latest options.

Our experienced team includes fellowship-trained neurologists, neurosurgeons, neurophysiologists and a neuropsychologist. A dedicated nurse clinician is also a critical member of the team, serving as a continuous resource and point person for patients and their families.

Treatment Options

Parkinson’s is a relentless, progressive disease; management of this condition as soon as it is diagnosed is critical to patients’ long-term success. Patient and family education are key to our innovative team care. Lifestyle changes including regular exercise and stress reduction are very important for Parkinson's patients. A variety of medications are available to help control Parkinson's symptoms, and new drugs to help slow the progression of this disease are in the pipeline with clinical trials.

For patients who are not able to get sufficient relief through medications, brain surgery including deep brain stimulation (DBS) can provide tremendous results. Our experienced DBS team has treated more than 250 patients with this surgical procedure and most are able to reduce their medications by 50 percent or more following the operation.

Our Specialists

Physicians
Arif I. Dalvi, MD, MBA (Director)
Demetrius (Jim) Maraganore, MD
Ashvini Premkumar, MD
Michael Mercury, PhD 
John McMahon, MD 
Emmanuel Nénonéné, PhD 
Kevin Novak, PhD

Nurses
Sue Silvio, RN
Joanne Nelson, RN
Nanci Maroney, RN

Groundbreaking Research

Our neurologists lead and participate in clinical trails and studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other important supporters of critical research. The goal of this research is to better understand the genetic and environmental risk factors for Parkinson's, and to develop tests for accurate and early diagnosis. The promise of new drugs to slow Parkinson's progression is another essential focus of our research efforts.

Current research at the Center includes studies to identify risk factors and biomarkers for the earliest detection of Parkinson's; evaluate Creatine as a potential neuroprotective agent; consider genetic and environmental risk factors for early-onset Parkinson's; and evaluate family members diagnosed with Parkinson's to help determine a probable genetic cause.

Our team works collaboratively with other neurologists whose patients are welcome to enroll in appropriate studies. For more information on current clinical trials, contact research nurse Sue Silvio, RN, at 847.657.5875.

Patient and Family Support

NorthShore sponsors a Parkinson’s disease support group for patients and their significant others. These groups meet at Glenbrook Hospital, please check back or call 847.657.5787 for times.