Michael Okun
@michaelokun.bsky.social
NY Times Besting Author of the Parkinson’s Plan, Medical Advisor Parkinson Foundation, Author 15 books http://pdplan.org Distinguished Professor and Director of the Fixel, Associate Editor JAMA Neurology, co-founder @DBSThinkTank
Pinned
Michael Okun
@michaelokun.bsky.social
· Dec 15
Check out my new Substack column in Parkinson's & Brain Health:
Rebuilding Care for Chronic Diseases:
Fund Boldly, Listen Closely, Act Together
cutt.ly/etp3pk50
@parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #parkinson #alzheimer #pain
Rebuilding Care for Chronic Diseases:
Fund Boldly, Listen Closely, Act Together
cutt.ly/etp3pk50
@parkinsondotorg.bsky.social #parkinson #alzheimer #pain
Is dirty air accelerating ALS and motor neuron disease? Particulate matter refers to tiny air pollution particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs and can enter the bloodstream, potentially triggering inflammation and injury in the brain and nervous system.
February 6, 2026 at 12:44 PM
Is dirty air accelerating ALS and motor neuron disease? Particulate matter refers to tiny air pollution particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs and can enter the bloodstream, potentially triggering inflammation and injury in the brain and nervous system.
When fats go wrong: lipid dysmetabolism in Parkinson’s disease. De-Paula and colleagues describe in a new paper in Brain how genetic risk for Parkinson’s disease links to specific disruptions in lipid metabolism that may be part of driving the disease biology.
February 5, 2026 at 12:08 PM
When fats go wrong: lipid dysmetabolism in Parkinson’s disease. De-Paula and colleagues describe in a new paper in Brain how genetic risk for Parkinson’s disease links to specific disruptions in lipid metabolism that may be part of driving the disease biology.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH): Is this the comeback story of a treatable brain disorder? New Viewpoint in JAMA Neurology how idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus has entered a new era driven by better evidence, improved patient selection and renewed engagement across care teams.
February 4, 2026 at 12:48 PM
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH): Is this the comeback story of a treatable brain disorder? New Viewpoint in JAMA Neurology how idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus has entered a new era driven by better evidence, improved patient selection and renewed engagement across care teams.
Genes meet environment in Parkinson’s risk: enter the ‘dual risk axis.’ What does dual risk axis mean? Üstündağ and colleagues describe a new paper that just dropped in Journal of Parkinson’s Disease how GBA1 mutations and occupational pesticide exposure intersect in Parkinson’s disease.
February 3, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Genes meet environment in Parkinson’s risk: enter the ‘dual risk axis.’ What does dual risk axis mean? Üstündağ and colleagues describe a new paper that just dropped in Journal of Parkinson’s Disease how GBA1 mutations and occupational pesticide exposure intersect in Parkinson’s disease.
Postmortem blood biomarkers and relationship to Alzheimer’s pathology. Kivisäkk and colleagues describe a new paper that just dropped in Neurology how blood biomarkers, measured before death, related to what was found in the brain at autopsy across Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
February 2, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Postmortem blood biomarkers and relationship to Alzheimer’s pathology. Kivisäkk and colleagues describe a new paper that just dropped in Neurology how blood biomarkers, measured before death, related to what was found in the brain at autopsy across Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
MRI assessment of the nigrosome in Parkinson’s disease: Is it ready for everyday clinical practice? Spoiler alert: It is not ready for prime time. What is a nigrosome? A nigrosome is a small cluster of dopamine producing nerve cells frequently lost in Parkinson’s disease.
February 1, 2026 at 2:04 PM
MRI assessment of the nigrosome in Parkinson’s disease: Is it ready for everyday clinical practice? Spoiler alert: It is not ready for prime time. What is a nigrosome? A nigrosome is a small cluster of dopamine producing nerve cells frequently lost in Parkinson’s disease.
Hearing loss in Parkinson’s: the silent non motor symptom we keep missing. Spoiler alert: hearing loss is twice as common in Parkinson's. New paper in Movement Disorders how hearing loss is common in Parkinson’s disease and involves both the ear and the brain. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
January 31, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Hearing loss in Parkinson’s: the silent non motor symptom we keep missing. Spoiler alert: hearing loss is twice as common in Parkinson's. New paper in Movement Disorders how hearing loss is common in Parkinson’s disease and involves both the ear and the brain. @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
Does gabapentin really cause dementia? Spoiler alert: It likely does not. What does the data actually tell us. Tsai and colleagues in a paper in Journal of Affective Disorders examining whether gabapentin use in adults w/ chronic pain was linked to dementia risk.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38729220/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38729220/
January 30, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Does gabapentin really cause dementia? Spoiler alert: It likely does not. What does the data actually tell us. Tsai and colleagues in a paper in Journal of Affective Disorders examining whether gabapentin use in adults w/ chronic pain was linked to dementia risk.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38729220/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38729220/
Are there divergent recovery paths in musicians’ dystonia? Spoiler alert: mouth related dystonia does far worse. Doll-Lee and colleagues describe in a new paper that just dropped in Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements how recovery differs between embouchure dystonia and musician’s hand dystonia.
January 30, 2026 at 1:06 PM
Are there divergent recovery paths in musicians’ dystonia? Spoiler alert: mouth related dystonia does far worse. Doll-Lee and colleagues describe in a new paper that just dropped in Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements how recovery differs between embouchure dystonia and musician’s hand dystonia.
Should we rethink how risky deep brain stimulation (DBS) really is? What does reframing mean? Lucas Philipp and colleagues describe in a new paper in Annals of Neurology whether the risks of DBS should be viewed differently when compared to other common elective surgeries.
January 29, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Should we rethink how risky deep brain stimulation (DBS) really is? What does reframing mean? Lucas Philipp and colleagues describe in a new paper in Annals of Neurology whether the risks of DBS should be viewed differently when compared to other common elective surgeries.
Eyes are all on the first major US court case on paraquat and Parkinson's. The New Lede details the case everyone is watching. A retired landscaper suffering from Parkinson’s disease vs. a multi-national agrochemical company.
www.thenewlede.org/2026/01/firs... @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
www.thenewlede.org/2026/01/firs... @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
First US paraquat trial to start this week, examining links between the pesticide and Parkinson’s disease
A trial with nationwide implications is set to open Wednesday in Philadelphia pitting a retired landscaper suffering from Parkinson’s disease against the multinational agrochemical company Syngenta ov...
www.thenewlede.org
January 28, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Eyes are all on the first major US court case on paraquat and Parkinson's. The New Lede details the case everyone is watching. A retired landscaper suffering from Parkinson’s disease vs. a multi-national agrochemical company.
www.thenewlede.org/2026/01/firs... @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
www.thenewlede.org/2026/01/firs... @parkinsondotorg.bsky.social
Dairy rich diet and the liver-brain-axis: a new pathway to Parkinson’s risk in GBA1 carriers? Liver-brain-axis means signals and disease processes can travel between the liver and the brain through nerves and through blood related pathways.
January 28, 2026 at 11:12 AM
Dairy rich diet and the liver-brain-axis: a new pathway to Parkinson’s risk in GBA1 carriers? Liver-brain-axis means signals and disease processes can travel between the liver and the brain through nerves and through blood related pathways.
The West Coast Parkinson's Plan listening book tour back in full swing on Monday/Tuesday in Orange County (Hoag) and at the Parkinson's Association of San Diego. Books for almost 1000 people, amazing dialogue and of course lots of listening. Three words folks: TELL YOUR STORY. www.pdplan.org
January 28, 2026 at 4:01 AM
The West Coast Parkinson's Plan listening book tour back in full swing on Monday/Tuesday in Orange County (Hoag) and at the Parkinson's Association of San Diego. Books for almost 1000 people, amazing dialogue and of course lots of listening. Three words folks: TELL YOUR STORY. www.pdplan.org
What does environmental decision neuroscience mean? Environmental decision neuroscience studies how brain systems are involved in value based social thinking, and how self-control shapes choices that may affect the environment around us. Why some environmental choices stick, while others fail...
January 27, 2026 at 2:50 PM
What does environmental decision neuroscience mean? Environmental decision neuroscience studies how brain systems are involved in value based social thinking, and how self-control shapes choices that may affect the environment around us. Why some environmental choices stick, while others fail...
Do you know all the updates on restless legs syndrome (RLS) 2026? Are we getting the diagnosis right and the treatment smarter. Spoiler alert: ‘Gabapentenoids’ now take center stage.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
January 26, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Do you know all the updates on restless legs syndrome (RLS) 2026? Are we getting the diagnosis right and the treatment smarter. Spoiler alert: ‘Gabapentenoids’ now take center stage.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Exercise may be shaping the Parkinson’s brain. Diaz-Galvan and colleagues describe in a new paper in Neurology how regular physical exercise is associated w/ brain structure and cognitive decline in folks w/ early Parkinson disease.
January 25, 2026 at 4:03 PM
Exercise may be shaping the Parkinson’s brain. Diaz-Galvan and colleagues describe in a new paper in Neurology how regular physical exercise is associated w/ brain structure and cognitive decline in folks w/ early Parkinson disease.
Do you know the essential tremor medication treatment updates for 2026? New paper in Movement Disorders, an updated evidence-based review from the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society examining medical treatments for essential tremor. The group applied modern standards.
January 24, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Do you know the essential tremor medication treatment updates for 2026? New paper in Movement Disorders, an updated evidence-based review from the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society examining medical treatments for essential tremor. The group applied modern standards.
Can hearing aids help protect the brain? Evidence is coming into focus. What does dementia mean? Cribb and colleagues describe in a new paper in Neurology how treating hearing loss w/ hearing aids may influence long term cognitive outcomes and dementia risk. @parkinsondotorg
January 23, 2026 at 12:44 PM
Can hearing aids help protect the brain? Evidence is coming into focus. What does dementia mean? Cribb and colleagues describe in a new paper in Neurology how treating hearing loss w/ hearing aids may influence long term cognitive outcomes and dementia risk. @parkinsondotorg
Parkinson’s disease maps tell a story across the Netherlands. What does incidence mean? New paper in The Lancet Regional Health Europe how Parkinson’s disease incidence and geographic patterns unfolded across the Netherlands from 2017 to 2022. They used nationwide health data.
January 22, 2026 at 12:35 PM
Parkinson’s disease maps tell a story across the Netherlands. What does incidence mean? New paper in The Lancet Regional Health Europe how Parkinson’s disease incidence and geographic patterns unfolded across the Netherlands from 2017 to 2022. They used nationwide health data.
ALS and dirty air: when does breathing become a neurological risk? What does particulate matter mean? New paper in JAMA Neurology how long-term exposure to air pollution is linked not only to a higher risk of developing motor neuron disease including, ALS but also to faster progression.
January 21, 2026 at 1:13 PM
ALS and dirty air: when does breathing become a neurological risk? What does particulate matter mean? New paper in JAMA Neurology how long-term exposure to air pollution is linked not only to a higher risk of developing motor neuron disease including, ALS but also to faster progression.
Does deep brain stimulation change your dreams? When brain circuits meet the night shift what happens? New paper in World Neurosurgery how DBS may influence dream content in folks w/ Parkinson’s disease by altering brain networks involved in dreaming.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 20, 2026 at 12:43 PM
Does deep brain stimulation change your dreams? When brain circuits meet the night shift what happens? New paper in World Neurosurgery how DBS may influence dream content in folks w/ Parkinson’s disease by altering brain networks involved in dreaming.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Check out my newest Substack column on bending the cause of Parkinson's disease through improved sleep.
Spoiler alert: your brain's 'glymphatic system' is more than just plumbing.
michaelokun.substack.com/p/can-we-ben...
Spoiler alert: your brain's 'glymphatic system' is more than just plumbing.
michaelokun.substack.com/p/can-we-ben...
January 19, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Check out my newest Substack column on bending the cause of Parkinson's disease through improved sleep.
Spoiler alert: your brain's 'glymphatic system' is more than just plumbing.
michaelokun.substack.com/p/can-we-ben...
Spoiler alert: your brain's 'glymphatic system' is more than just plumbing.
michaelokun.substack.com/p/can-we-ben...
Proteins and ancestry are reshaping how we think about Parkinson’s disease risk. Lim and colleagues describe in a new paper in Movement Disorders how circulating proteins and genetics link to Parkinson’s disease risk differently across ancestries.
January 19, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Proteins and ancestry are reshaping how we think about Parkinson’s disease risk. Lim and colleagues describe in a new paper in Movement Disorders how circulating proteins and genetics link to Parkinson’s disease risk differently across ancestries.
Check out this comprehensive 2025 Update on Huntington’s disease. Spoiler alert: In 2025 we learned something crucial about how somatic mutations in HD are crucially related to disease manifestation. #Huntingtonsdisease
January 18, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Check out this comprehensive 2025 Update on Huntington’s disease. Spoiler alert: In 2025 we learned something crucial about how somatic mutations in HD are crucially related to disease manifestation. #Huntingtonsdisease
We 'crowd source' the speakers and discussants each year for the DBS Think Tank and the time has come for you to self-nominate or to suggest others (our 14th year). fixel.ufhealth.org/dbs-think-ta...
January 17, 2026 at 2:49 PM
We 'crowd source' the speakers and discussants each year for the DBS Think Tank and the time has come for you to self-nominate or to suggest others (our 14th year). fixel.ufhealth.org/dbs-think-ta...