June 28, 2026

@michaelokun

A remarkable life in Parkinson's disease and movement disorders: remembering Regina Katzenschlager. Susan Fox and colleagues describe, in a moving tribute, in Movement Disorders the extraordinary career and contributions of Dr. Regina Katzenschlager, one of the leading Parkinson's disease neurologists and advocates. I had the honor of serving on a committee w/ Regina through the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society and she was terrific, thoughtful, collaborative, incisive and always focused on improving care for folks living w/ neurological disease. Key points: - Dr. Katzenschlager helped shape modern Parkinson's disease care through studies on dopamine agonists, levodopa and apomorphine infusion therapies. - She served in multiple leadership roles in the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society including the Executive Committee, European Section and Evidence Based Medicine Committee. - She was a tireless mentor, advocate for younger colleagues and a respected voice for scientific rigor and compassionate patient care. The movement disorders community lost one of its brightest lights far too soon. Regina helped define evidence-based medicine in Parkinson's disease and she pushed all of us to think more carefully, work harder and aim higher. She was fearless in challenging ideas she believed were wrong and equally generous in supporting colleagues and trainees who needed guidance. I particularity loved her work on Mucuna and on Apomorphine infusions. Scientific excellence and kindness can coexist, and Regina embodied both. We build evidence and today's standards of care are built on the work of people like Regina. Her mentorship is one of her enduring forms of legacy in academic medicine. The movement disorders field is stronger because Regina Katzenschlager was part of it and she will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are w/ her family, family, friends and colleagues around the world. May her memory continue to inspire future generations of neurologists and scientists. https://movementdisorders.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.70382