Centre of Expertise

Outpatient clinics

Because our centre focuses on movement disorders, it hosts several specialised outpatient clinics for movement disorders.

Outpatient clinic for hyperkinetic movement disorder

Professor De Koning-Tijssen has her own outpatient clinic for hyperkinetic movement disorders, where she sees patients with myoclonus (twitching), tremor and dystonia. Professor van Laar also regularly sees patients with hyperkinetic movement disorders at his outpatient clinic.

Outpatient clinic for movement disorders in children and young adults

Every other week, we run a special multidisciplinary outpatient clinic for movement disorders in children and young adults. In this outpatient clinic, a team of specialists (a neurologist, a paediatrician specialised in metabolic disorders and genetics, a geneticist and a movement disorder neurologist) see children and young adults with movement disorders. Read the team section for more information about the multidisciplinary team.

Team for movement disorders in children and young adults

Outpatient clinic for hypokinetic movement disorder

Professor Van Laar specialises in Parkinson’s disease and other hypokinetic movement disorders. In addition to professor Van Laar’s outpatient clinic, we are also involved in the Parkinson Expertise Centre in the Groningen area. Read more about this centre on the Parkinson Expertise Centre page.

Outpatient clinic for ataxia

Both professor Kremer and doctor De Vries are experts on ataxia and the neurological disorders that cause ataxia. In their outpatient clinic, they see patients with Huntington’s disease and cerebellar and spinocerebellar ataxia.

Outpatient clinic for ataxia in children

Paediatric neurologist doctor Sival specialises in ataxia in children.

Outpatient clinic for neuropsychiatry

Once a month, there is a special neuropsychiatry clinic. During this clinic, patients can consult with a psychiatrist doctor Jiawan and a neurologist, professor de Koning-Tijssen who specialise in movement disorders.

Outpatient Clinic Neurogenetics

Doctor Vansenne and doctor Verschuuren (clinical geneticists) see patients with movement disorders at the outpatient clinic clinical genetics. If the genetic diagnosis is known, they explain the inheritance and recurrence risk for family members. If the diagnosis has not been made, complex genetic diagnostics are often requested.

Multidisciplinary Neurogenetics Outpatient Clinic

Several times a month there is a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic with the clinical geneticist and (paediatric) neurologist Dr Sival or one of the adult neurologists Dr De Vries or Professor Kremer. This mainly concerns ataxia and Huntington's disease.

Outpatient clinic presymptomatic diagnosis

Three times a month, at the genetics department there is a so-called presymptomatic (without complaints) diagnosis outpatient clinic. Family members of patients with genetic movement disorders occurring in adulthood can be informed and possibly tested for carrier status of the disorder occurring in the family. The counsellor and social worker then discuss the pros and cons of presymptomatic diagnostics.

Botulinum toxin street 

Patients with a focal dystonia, such as a twisting neck (torticollis) or dystonia of the eyes (blepharospasm), are often treated with botulinum toxin injections. Previously, patients from the Netherlands and abroad who were referred to the UMCG had to travel to Groningen several times. For this reason, we were the first in the Netherlands to develop the botulinum toxin street. Patients receive the various appointments and examinations in one morning, which are immediately assessed by the neurologist. A treatment plan is also drawn up with patients that same morning, and if necessary patients are also treated directly with botulinum toxin. Click here for more information.