About NSTA - National Spasmodic Torticollis Association

2019 NSTA Symposium – Saturday, Nov. 16th and Sunday, Nov. 17th

19 Aug

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SPASMODIC TORTICOLLIS/CERVICAL DYSTONIA?

The NSTA Symposium is Back!

It is with a grateful thank you to the generous donations from Diane Truong, the late emeritus board member Bob Farmer, and from our sponsors Allergan Inc., Ipsen, MedTronics and US WorldMeds LLC, that we are proud to host our first symposium in three years in Orange County, California.

The event will take place on Saturday, November 16th and Sunday, November 17th in Fountain Valley, California. The site of the symposium is Memorial Care, Orange Coast Medical Center at 18035 Talbert Ave., Fountain Valley, California. This will be a two day symposium that will bring together specialists and patients under one roof. This is a great opportunity to learn the very latest types of treatments available and the latest research. You will have the opportunity to ask questions from leading experts of the medical community, and may learn about alternative forms of treatments that may help you manage your symptoms. There is an opportunity to meet other people with spasmodic torticollis/cervical dystonia, their family and friends and exchange experiences regarding treatments. 

We’ve been intentional to make registration accessible at only $20 per person, which includes access to the symposium and lunch for both days. Lunch is sponsored by Katella Deli.

We have a terrific roster of speakers that will cover the following topics.

  • Drake Duane, MD, Emeritus Medical Director of the NSTA and a Movement Disorder Neurologist from Scottsdale, Arizona. He will present on Epidemiology and ST Characteristics
  • Mayank Pathak, MD a Movement Disorder Neurologist from St. Joseph Hospital  will present on Oral Medications and Botulinum Toxins
  • Karen P. Frei, MD a Movement Disorder Neurologist from Loma Linda University will present on Clinical Trials and Dystonia Research
  • Devin K. Binder, MD, PhD from Memorial Care, Orange Coast Medical Center will present on Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy for Dystonia

Physical Therapy and Spasmodic Torticollis / Cervical Dystonia will be discussed followed by a presentation on Qi Gong – Relaxation and Breathing Techniques.

The following is the schedule for the symposium.

We hope you’ll be able to join us in Fountain Valley, California. Registration can be done online at the bottom of this webpage. The Following is information on our guest speakers

The Following is information on our guest speakers

Drake D. Duane, M.D.

Dr. Duane is a behavioral neurologist, who is also interested in focal cervical dystonia, essential tremor and tics; the first two on the basis of an unusual experience with spasmodic torticollis while on the staff of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and the last in association with his work in developmental disorders including Tourette syndrome.  Dr. Duane is an Alpha Omega Alpha graduate with distinction of the Wayne State University, College of Medicine, in Detroit, Michigan; having received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota in Psychology as a Regent Alumni scholar.  After two years of psychiatry rotation in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, he entered his residency at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, at the completion of which he joined the staff at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, rising to the position of Associate Professor of Neurology at the Mayo Medical School.

 In 1987, he moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, to establish the Arizona Dystonia Institute and become Adjunct Professor at Arizona State University. Dr. Duane has published over 100 papers and abstract, 18 book chapters, and has edited four books.  He is a member of the Movement Disorder Society, Dystonia Study Group, We Move, and of the Movement Disorders Section of the American Academy of Neurology, of which he is a Fellow.

His presentations include the World of Congress of Movement Disorders, THE second and third International Dystonia Symposia, the American Academy of Neurology, the American Neurologic Association, the Tourette Syndrome Association, with movement disorder lecture presentations at the National Institutes of Health, the Mayo Alumni Association, and Ohio State University.  His pharmaceutical industry-sponsored research includes Allergan, Athena-Elan, and Ipsen Pharmaceutical companies.  However, the major focus of his research is the development of neutralizing antibodies to botulinum toxin A and B—in this regard is the proposing and lead investigator of the use of mycophenolate in the prevention of recurrence of botulinum toxin A antibodies in the initiation of antibodies to the B form of the toxin, as well as the biological characteristics of patients with cervical dystonia, essential tremor and tic disorders, and the implications of these conditions on affected individuals’ risk for comorbid psychiatric states and comorbid conditions such as scoliosis.  He has evaluated over 1500 patients with cervical dystonia and more than hundred subjects with essential tremor, and more than 50 subjects with Tourette syndrome.  He has assisted at selective denervation surgery and used Botox®, Dysport®, and botulinum toxin B.  Dr. Duane has served on the Medical Advisory Board of the National Spasmodic Torticollis Association since 1984 and currently serves as its Chairman.  His Foundation for Clinical Neuroscience, a division of the Arizona Dystonia Institute, has funded biannual international travel awards for the best essay on cervical dystonia.  His awards include Teacher of the Year from residents of the Mayo Graduate School of Geschwind Memorial Lectureship.  He is a recipient of the Dystonia Doctor of Excellence Neurophysiological Society, the American Academy of Neurology and the American College of Physician.

Mayank Pathak, M.D.

Dr. Mayank Pathak, a movement disorder specialist from Orange, California. Dr. Pathak did his fellowship on Spinal Cord Injury Service at the V.A. Medical Center, Long Beach, California from July, 1995 – June, 1996.  He also did a fellowship at the Neurological Rehabilitation UCLA Medical Center, Dept. of Neurological Services in Los Angeles from July, 1996 – June, 1998.  He currently practices at the Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders Institute and at Pavilion Neurology Medical Group, both in Orange County, California.

Karen Frei, M.D.

Dr. Karen Frei graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1992. She was trained in neurology at the Barrow’s Neurological Institute and completed a fellowship in neurogenetics at the National Institutes of Health where she was involved in diagnosis, patient care and in clinical research of heritable neurological diseases. Following her fellowship, Dr. Frei practiced neurology as part of a group in western Pennsylvania. She is proficient in programming and monitoring Baclofen pumps, vagal nerve stimulators and deep brain stimulators. She has been trained in transcranial Doppler as well. Dr. Frei is practices at Loma Linda Faculty Medical Clinic and is involved with conducting clinical research. Dr. Frei is a member of the NSTA Medical Advisory Board and serves as the medical editor of the ST Quarterly magazine

Devin K. Binder, M.D., PhD

Dr. Devin Binder will be discussing Deep Brain Stimulation for cervical dystonia on Sunday morning at 9:00am. Dr. Binder is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the American Epilepsy Society, and the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery.    His clinical expertise includes general neurosurgery, epilepsy surgery, deep brain stimulation (DBS) and functional neurosurgery, spine surgery, and brain tumor surgery.  Dr. Binder is particularly excited to offer DBS treatment to many patients in southern California for treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia.  Dr. Binder believes strongly in providing a customized approach to each patient, using the services of a multidisciplinary treatment team.

We hope you’ll be able to join us in Fountain Valley, California.

You can register through PayPal by using your PayPal account or a credit card. Simply use the link below.

SoCal Regional Conference - Registration Options