
Show Notes
Dr. Michele Matarazzo interviews Prof. Hesheng Liu about his recent Nature paper proposing a major conceptual shift: Parkinson’s disease as a somato-cognitive action network (SCAN) disorder. Together they discuss how a large multimodal dataset suggests a characteristic pattern of hyperconnectivity between SCAN cortical areas and subcortical nuclei in Parkinson’s disease, how this signature changes with effective therapies, and why personalized SCAN targeting may help refine non-invasive stimulation and circuit-guided interventions. The conversation explores implications for biomarkers, patient-specific targeting, and key unanswered questions that will shape the next generation of studies.
Read the article.
More from MDS Podcast
Dr. Mitra Afshari discusses with Dr. Raul Martínez-Fernández recent advances in MRI-guided focused ultrasound for essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease, including improvements in safety and efficacy, its relationship with deep brain stimulation, and emerging neuromodulation approaches.
Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández discusses with Dr. Samuel Kim recent advances in Huntington’s disease, including genetic mechanisms, emerging biomarkers, and the potential of huntingtin-lowering therapies and gene therapy.
Dr. Eduardo de Pablo-Fernández discusses with Prof. Tom Foltynie emerging disease-modifying and restorative treatments for Parkinson’s disease, including recent clinical trial findings and promising therapeutic approaches.
Ms. Nicole Duff discusses with Dr. Alison Yarnall the prevalence and impact of frailty in Parkinsonism, including how it is identified and measured and its implications for clinical trials and patient care.
Dr. Jerome Honnorat sits down with host Dr. Divyani Garg at the 2026 MDS international Congress to review the most recent advancements in autoimmune movement disorders.