Biography
Dr. Michael S. Okun co-founded the movement disorders program at the University of Florida in 2002. He is the former Chair of Neurology and currently one of only 5 faculty to ever hold the rank and honor of distinguished professor at the College of Medicine. He is the executive director and co-founder of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida Health.
Dr. Okun has an active research career and has been an integral part of some of the pioneering studies exploring the cognitive, behavioral, and mood effects of DBS and brain stimulation, and since 2005 his laboratory has been working to uncover the electrical brain signals associated with human tic. He has partnered with Dr. Ayse Gunduz and Dr. Kelly Foote to develop the first-generation closed-loop adaptive deep brain stimulation approaches for many disorders. He and his group have contributed data to support the FDA approval of several device-related approaches now used to treat human disease. He is the author of 14 books.
Areas of Expertise (7)
Alzheimer's
Parkinson's
Tourette
Deep Brain Stimulation
Dystonia
Tremor
Movement Disorders
Media Appearances (4)
Drug Similar to Ozempic Failed to Treat Parkinson’s Disease in a Trial
The New York Times
2025-02-04
The idea was so tantalizing. Drugs in the GLP-1 class, which includes Wegovy and Ozempic, have proved miraculous in treating weight loss and other diseases. And some researchers hoped that the drugs could also help with some of the most difficult diseases to treat — those of the brain, like Parkinson’s.
What Is Parkinson’s Disease?
The New York Times online
2024-09-25
The retired N.F.L. quarterback Brett Favre told a congressional committee on Tuesday that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive, incurable condition that causes tremors and stiffness, often resulting in impaired movement and speech.
How Is Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosed?
Time online
2024-07-09
Speculation about President Joe Biden’s health is rife after the president’s poor debate performance, marked by a stiff gait and soft voice, and muddled answers. Also fueling conjecture is reporting in the New York Times and elsewhere that, according to visitor logs, a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease has come to the White House eight times in the past eight months.
CNN Vital Signs with Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at Deep Brain Stimulation at UF Health
UF Health online
2024-01-01
Dr. Michael Okun & Dr. Kelly Foote formed the University of Florida Health Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration in 2002 to bring together experts in movement disorders from diverse disciplines from all over the UF Campus.
Articles (4)
Advanced diffusion imaging to track progression in Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and progressive supranuclear palsy
NeuroImage: ClinicalTrina Mitchell, et. al
2022-04-27
Advanced diffusion imaging which accounts for complex tissue properties, such as crossing fibers and extracellular fluid, may detect longitudinal changes in widespread pathology in atypical Parkinsonian syndromes. We implemented fixel-based analysis, Neurite Orientation and Density Imaging (NODDI) and free-water imaging in Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSAp), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and controls longitudinally over one year.
Functional characterization of the biogenic amine transporters on human macrophages
The Journal of Clinical InvestigationPhillip M. Mackie, et. al
2022-01-11
Monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) are key players in tissue homeostasis and diseases regulated by a variety of signaling molecules. Recent literature has highlighted the ability for biogenic amines to regulate macrophage functions, but the mechanisms governing biogenic amine signaling in and around immune cells remain nebulous. In the CNS, biogenic amine transporters are regarded as the master regulators of neurotransmitter signaling.
Parkinson's disease
The LancetBastiaan R. Bloem, et. al
2021-06-12
Parkinson's disease is a recognisable clinical syndrome with a range of causes and clinical presentations. Parkinson's disease represents a fast-growing neurodegenerative condition; the rising prevalence worldwide resembles the many characteristics typically observed during a pandemic, except for an infectious cause.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 Crisis as Catalyst for Telemedicine for Chronic Neurological Disorders
JAMA NeurologyBastiaan R. Bloem, et. al
2020-04-24
The unfolding coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is transforming neurological care more than any other crisis in modern history. Social distancing and quarantine have cut off access to routine medical care for numerous individuals with neurological diseases. Many are at increased risk when coinfected with COVID-19 because of their advanced age, comorbid conditions, or immunosuppressive treatments.
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