The
Krembil Brain Institute at
Toronto Western Hospital is home to the Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's Disease. The Program was established in 1994 and contains the long-standing Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic. The Program and Clinic specialize in leading edge treatment and research for movement disorders. The Program is a
Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence and is led by
Dr. Anthony Lang, who is recognized as one of Canada's leading experts in Parkinson's disease (PD) and is equally renowned on the international stage for his research into the condition.
The Program is comprised to a team of specialists, including doctors, nurses, researchers and technicians. Together, they handle over 7,000 patient visits each year. It is dedicated to improving the quality of life of patients affected by diseases that cause a movement disorder and has an experienced staff of neurologists, fellows, nurses who have been trained specifically to diagnose and treat these disorders.
An important part of our unit is our Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) program. We became the first hospital in North America to successfully utilize DBS to treat patients with PD. By using electrical stimulation on targeted areas in the brain, DBS blocks abnormal nerve signals that cause tremors and other Parkinson's symptoms. Another recent addition to our Program has been the establishment of an Ataxia clinic.
Translational research at KNC has identified several brain chemicals, other than dopamine, that are involved in Parkinson's disease. This discovery – a world first – indicates that it is possible to alleviate symptoms without restoring dopamine.
Restoring and protecting neural function – essentially curing PD – is within our grasp. Our progress towards a cure has been fuelled by donor support for innovation and discovery. We need your help to continue the momentum of discovery in PD research and make a cure a reality.
