The Movement Disorders Program provides surgical management of:
 
. Parkinson’s disease
. Dystonia (pediatric and adult, including spasmodic torticollis)
. Essential tremor
. Post-stroke tremor
. Spasticity (pediatric and adult)
 
UCSF is home to Northern California’s largest program for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Our affiliated program at the San Francisco Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center is one of only six Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Centers (PADRECC) established by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. A team of neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuropyschologists, and clinical nurse specialists work to provide excellent clinical care to patients and to improve their quality of life.
 
Surgery can often improve symptoms and lessen pain for patients with movement disorders. The stereotactic and functional neurosurgery techniques used to treat movement disorders at UCSF include:
 
. Implantation of deep brain stimulators for Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and essential   tremor
. Selective denervation for spasmodic torticollis
. Selective rhizotomy for spasticity
. Implantation of baclofen infusion pumps for spasticity
 
 
FAQ for patients: Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's disease
FAQ for patients: Deep Brain Stimulation for Dystonia
Guidelines for referring neurologists: Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's disease
 
We also participate in several clinical trials of new therapies for movement disorders, including clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and essential tremor. For more information on enrolling in clinical trials, contact the Department of Neurological Surgery clinic at (415) 353-7500.