Research group Pathophysiology of movement disorders

Tremor is a neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary shaking of one or more body parts, often in rhythmic and oscillatory pattern. Tremor can be a disease entity of its own or may be part of a movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease.

We focus on the underlying mechanisms of tremor from a pathophysiological point of view.To this end, we utilize electrophysiological, neuroimaging, and brain stimulation techniques as well as clinical data from patients. Our ultimate goal is to improve the treatment of this disabling symptom.

Stress is a normal physiological reaction, needed to anticipate threats. However, chronic stress can lead to psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety.

In people with Parkinson’s disease, the prevalence of such disorders is exceptionally high and symptoms worsen in stressful situations. Also, animal models of Parkinson’s disease suggest that chronic stress accelerates disease progression.

In our research, we use fMRI to investigate the cerebral mechanisms underlying this increased stress-sensitivity in Parkinson’s disease. Also, we explore how reducing stress (pharmacologically and non-pharmacologically) affects Parkinson’s disease symptom progression.

Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease typically progress over very long periods of time. As these disorders progress, brain network dysfunction becomes more and more pervasive, which drives the worsening of symptoms.

However, given its neuroplastic properties, the disordered brain is able to adapt and alter the functioning of its networks in ways that counteract, or compensate for, pathological dysfunction. The eventual decline of these compensatory mechanisms may be key to understanding symptom progression in neurodegenerative disorders.

See the publication list on Web of Science.