MSU Department of Neurology & Ophthalmology will be hosting a free Dystonia Symposium Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for physicians and patients at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development.
The symposium is a collaboration between Michigan State University College of Human Medicine continuing medical education and Dystonia Medical Research Foundation.
MSU faculty and HealthTeam providers will be presenting, including physicians Christos Sidiropoulos and John Goudreau.
Physicians will learn to recognize the symptoms of dystonia in their patients, learn treatment options available and recognize the referral pathways to subspecialists.
Dystonia is a movement disorder in which a person’s muscles contract uncontrollably.
“Dystonia is a basket term,” Sidiropoulos said. “It is used for several conditions that can cause muscle contractions.”
While there are many forms of dystonia, the number of people affected isn’t always clear, but Sidiropoulos estimates it could be roughly 16 out of 1,000 people.
Members of the public and patients will learn the medical and surgical treatments for dystonia, the current state of research and visit with area resources at the exhibitor fair.
Physicians can register at www.dystonia-foundation.org/msudystonia
Patients can register at www.dystonia-foundation.org/patientforum
MSU Neurology Ophthalmology treat several types of dystonia at their location in the clinical center.
A downloadable brochure is available on the Department of Neurology website.