View Larger Image Image from a previous Parkinson's symposium showing the audience from the back (top) of the auditorium, some participating in Parkinson's exercises.
Attendees at a 2023 Parkinson's symposium participate in breathing exercises.

UAMS to Host 11th Annual Parkinson’s Symposium on April 12

By Linda Satter

|  Free Event for Patients, Caregivers, Health Professionals, General Public

 The public is invited to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) 11th Annual Parkinson’s Symposium on April 12, where experts will discuss the latest advances and treatment for Parkinson’s disease, as well as atypical Parkinsonism.

Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements or rigidity, as well as difficulty with balance and coordination. Parkinsonism has additional features such as cognitive defects, difficulty regulating blood pressure and other automatic functions of the body, as well as vision impairment.

The Sunday afternoon event runs from 1 to 3 p.m. and is free. It is open to patients, caregivers, family members, health care professionals and anyone who just wants to know more about Parkinson’s disease.

It will be held on the 12th floor of the Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute on the Little Rock campus, which is easily accessible from the third floor of Parking 3 at 4030 W. Capitol Ave. A covered walkway connects visitors on Section 3A of the parking garage to the institute’s second floor; however, the walkway will be open only between noon and 1:15 p.m. The institute’s main doors on Jack Stephens Drive will also be open from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.

The event will also be livestreamed on Zoom. Advanced registration is required for in-person attendance and to receive a code to access the livestream. Register online at medicine.uams.edu/neurosurgery/ps2026.

While the final agenda is being finalized, topics at the 2026 symposium will include therapies that complement Parkinson’s disease, exercise benefitting Parkinson’s patients, updates on Parkinson’s research and new drugs on the horizon, as well as managing Parkinson’s-related psychosis and paranoia.

The symposium will conclude with a discussion by a panel of experts who will address frequently asked questions. The panel will include UAMS neurologist Aditya Vikram Boddu, M.D.; UAMS movement disorders specialist Hillary Williams, M.D.; UAMS occupational therapist Jessica Holton; UAMS physical therapist Philip McElvy; UAMS psychology fellow Hannah Schweitzer, Psy.D.; and Rohit Dhall, M.D., chair of the UAMS Department of Neurology.

April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month. Each year, there are 50,000 to 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s diagnosed in the United States.

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 1,015 medical residents and fellows. It is the state’s largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.

###