Episode 147: Improving Quality of Life in Movement Disorders Through Nonmotor Symptom Management

Alexa Dessy, MD

Episode 147 of the NeurologyLive^® Mind Moments^® podcast is now live! Scroll down to listen or click here to subscribe on your favorite streaming service.

The Mind Moments podcast features exclusive interviews with leaders in the field discussing the latest research and disease management strategies across the breadth of neurology, including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, dementia, sleep disorders, and more.

In this episode, "Improving Quality of Life in Movement Disorders Through Nonmotor Symptom Management" Alexa Dessy, MD, clinical assistant professor in movement disorders at Jefferson Health, shares a comprehensive look at modern-day care strategies for patients with Parkinson disease and other movement disorders. Dessy discusses the foundational role of detailed history-taking, exam-based observation, and phenomenology in diagnosing complex conditions, along with the growing utility of genetic and imaging tools. She also explains the challenges of managing nonmotor symptoms—like sleep disturbance, fatigue, and constipation—and how lifestyle strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration are often as vital as medication. Lastly, she emphasizes the importance of clear and compassionate communication with patients and families as neurology becomes increasingly therapeutic.

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

• Eisai Showcases Promising 4-Year Data for Alzheimer Therapy Lecanemab at AAIC 2025
• IHL-42X to Enter Phase 3 Trials for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Following Positive Phase 2 Data
• FDA Approves Fremanezumab as First Anti-CGRP Preventive Therapy for Pediatric Episodic Migraine
  

EPISODE BREAKDOWN

• 1:00 – How movement disorder diagnosis is approached through history, physical exam, and phenomenology
• 4:05 – What makes certain movement disorder cases complex and how diagnostics like genetics and imaging are used
• 6:20 – Neurology News Minute
• 8:45 – How nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson’s (fatigue, constipation, sleep) are managed with lifestyle strategies
• 12:30 – Approaching therapeutic communication and expectation-setting with patients and families

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