FUNCTIONAL NEUROSURGERY –
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
Functional neurosurgery broadly seeks to restore lost function to patients suffering from neurodegenerative
and epileptic diseases that are not helped by conventional medical therapies. The UAB Functional Neurosurgery
Program, comprised of four neurosurgery faculty, specializes in neuromodulation for movement disorders, surgical
intervention for pain disorders, non-invasive radiosurgical treatment of pain, and movement disorders. Our
program sees a high volume of patients with Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, epilepsy,
and pain.
The program offers many surgical interventions for patients with movement disorders. Therapies such as
implantation of deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes into deep structures of the brain are offered to alleviate
symptoms of tremor and rigidity. In the field of epilepsy, both diagnostic and therapeutic surgery options are
offered. With help from epilepsy neurologists, the use of electrodes to record abnormal seizure activity offers
diagnostic seizure localization and mapping. Surgical treatment options such as resection of laser ablation to
remove abnormal tissue are provided to patients with epilepsy. DBS and neuromodulatory procedures, such
as vagus nerve stimulation or responsive neurostimulation, also may be used to treat epilepsy, depending
on specific seizure types. Within the field of pain surgery, the program predominantly treats facial pain, most
commonly trigeminal neuralgia, using decompressive or ablative techniques.
WHY UAB
Established over 30 years ago, UAB’s Functional Neurosurgery program has become one of the highest volume
centers in the nation. Over the past 10 years, more than 2,400 functional procedures for pain and movement
disorders have been performed, including 1,000-plus DBS implants and 400-plus epilepsy cases. The program
is distinguished as a Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease and a Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
of Excellence. With the Department of Neurology, the program shares NIH BRAIN Initiative funding to study new
technology in DBS surgery and has robust research programs in both movement disorders and epilepsy.
OTHER DIFFERENTIATORS INCLUDE:
• Heavily funded clinical and investigative trials seeking new and improved interventions for these disorders
• Availability of noninvasive, precise radiosurgical interventions for pain and movement disorders
• Close collaboration with Neurology Movement Disorders and Epilepsy program with over 14 neurologists
• Nationally approved Functional Fellowship program for advanced training and research
• Completion of gene therapy trials for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
• Implementation of noninvasive radiosurgical treatment for tremor and face pain
BY THE NUMBERS
• Performed 1,000th DBS implant in May 2018
• Over 1,500 total DBS procedures performed
• More than 60 peer-reviewed research and clinical publications in the past five years
• 2,400-plus functional cases performed in the past decade
• Collaboration in NIH trials for Parkinson’s disease totaling over $8 million
• Over 100 DBS electrodes implanted in 2019
• >$3 million in NIH grant funding for improving DBS therapy for Parkinson’s disease
NOTABLE FUNDING/AWARDS
• Faculty Development Grant award to Nicole Bentley, MD, for evaluating motor and cognitive biomarkers in DBS
• Movement Disorders Fellowship funded by CAST
• Collaboration with Department of Neurology on NIH BRAIN Initiative grant
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UAB Neurosurgery Annual Report 2020