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The Department of Neurology at UNC has been actively caring for patients with Parkinson’s disease since the opening of the North Carolina Memorial Hospital in 1952. In 2004, the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Hospitals became the first medical center in North Carolina to join the ranks of only 47 Parkinson’s Foundation (PF) Centers of Excellence worldwide.

The Parkinson’s Foundation supports Parkinson’s-related research, patient care, education, training, and outreach through its centers of excellence. As such, the centers define the “gold standard” in Parkinson’s-related research, comprehensive care and outreach. Learn more about the Parkinson’s Foundation and the Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence criteria.

Our mission statement
  • Research: To conduct both outstanding clinical and basic science research in Parkinson disease and translate our research into advances in treatment.
  • Clinical care: To provide the finest quality of care for our patients and to assume a leadership position in providing innovative models of service for patients with Parkinson’s disease and their families.
  • Outreach: To meet, answer questions and provide cutting edge information to our local support groups and to assist the lay community in advocating for their causes.
  • Education: To educate persons with Parkinson’s disease, their caregivers, healthcare professionals, and the general public about Parkinson’s disease and its treatment.
  • Referral services: To be a place in which patients with Parkinson’s disease, caregivers and families, health-care providers, and people in the community turn for the most up-to-date information on research and referral services for Parkinson’s disease.
Interdisciplinary Team of Experts

The Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence at UNC offers patients and their families comprehensive, specialized care for Parkinson’s disease. Our interdisciplinary team of experts is trained to address the physical, cognitive, and emotional needs of those coming to our clinic. We actively work with patients and their families to develop individualized treatment plans and recommendations.

Our team includes specialists from the following areas:

  • Neurology/Movement Disorders
  • Neurosurgery
  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech and Language Pathology
  • Movement Related Sleep Disorders
  • Cognitive Neurology
  • Genetic Counseling
  • Social Work and Counseling
Interdisciplinary Parkinson’s Disease Clinic

Our center partners with allied health therapists who specialize in Parkinson’s to offer half-day comprehensive interdisciplinary team assessments for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Community Outreach

Our center is proud to offer educational programs, advocacy and support to patients and their families in addition to professional trainings for physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and rehabilitation administrators. Learn more about our community outreach programs.


Parkinson's Center of Excellence
The Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence has been supported by research and outreach grants from the Parkinson’s Foundation.