Perlmutter Lab

Joel S. Perlmutter, MD

The lab focuses on Parkinson disease (PD) and related movement disorders, with several active research areas:

Deep brain stimulation
We investigate the mechanisms of deep brain stimulation (DBS), a transformative treatment for PD. These studies combine PET imaging of regional cerebral blood flow, cognitive testing and quantified movement analysis. This work has led to new insights into DBS and enabled functional mapping of basal ganglia activity in humans.

Dementia in Parkinson disease
We are conducting an ongoing study of dementia in people with PD. This includes cognitive, clinical, genetic and neuroimaging assessments (PET and MRI), with comparisons to post-mortem findings to better understand disease progression.

Neuroprotection and drug testing
We test new drugs that may rescue injured nigrostriatal neurons, using PET to measure dopamine pathways and quantify motor behavior. We are also developing and validating biomarkers of PD progression using nonhuman primate models.

Imaging and biomarkers in humans
In PD patients, we apply MR and PET methods to objectively measure disease severity. These tools support genetic and etiologic studies, including investigations into environmental exposures such as welding and manganese toxicity.

Biorepository and clinical data integration
We have developed a biorepository linked to clinical phenotype data across various movement disorders. This resource supports ongoing and future biomarker and genetic studies, including a multicenter collaboration on focal dystonias.

NeuroClinical Research Unit and BBPU
We established the NeuroClinical Research Unit at Washington University, which serves as the foundation for the Brain, Behavior and Performance Unit (BBPU) under the CTSA. The BBPU supports new patient-oriented research in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dystonia research
We use PET to study radioligand binding and sensorimotor processing in dystonia. A new animal model of dystonia allows us to investigate pharmacologic and physiological changes, including drug-mediated brain pathways and the effects of selective dopaminergic agonists.

Animal studies and translational research
We explore the relationship between cerebral blood flow and electrophysiological responses in animal models. These studies provide foundational insights that inform our human research efforts.

Principal investigator

Our team

Recent publications

Complete bibliography