Gender	Female
E-mail	ruth.walker@mssm.edu
Education and Training	M.D., University of Edinburgh
	Ph.D., University of Edinburgh
	Residency, New York University School of Medicine
	Internship, Manhattan VA Hospital
	Fellowship, The Mount Sinai Medical Center

Dr Ruth H. Walker received her medical degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1985 and her PhD on basal ganglia anatomy from the same institution in 1992. She completed her residency in neurology at NYU and her fellowship in movement disorders at Mount Sinai. Since 1999 she has been on staff at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Bronx, where she is Director of the Movement Disorders Clinic. She is board-certified in neurology.

Dr Walker's clinical and research interests involve the neuroanatomy of the basal ganglia; the structures which are affected by neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, dystonia, tics and tremors. In addition to diagnosing and treating patients with these disorders, she specializes in those affected by involuntary movements known as chorea, seen in disorders such as Huntington's disease.

Dr Walker has particular expertise in diagnosing and treating the very rare types of chorea known as neuroacanthocytosis, which includes chorea-acanthocytosis and McLeod's syndrome. She is recognized as an international authority on these disorders, has authored many articles and is the lead editor of a recent book on neuroacanthocytosis syndromes.  She lectures internationally on these topics and regularly gives courses on chorea and other hyperkinetic movement disorders at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Dr Walker's other primary interest is the neurochemical interactions of the structures of the brain which comprise the basal ganglia. Her laboratory work currently involves looking at mechanisms of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Education and Training	M.D., University of Edinburgh
	Ph.D., University of Edinburgh
	Residency, New York University School of Medicine
	Internship, Manhattan VA Hospital
	Fellowship, The Mount Sinai Medical Center

Research

The role of H2 field of Forel/zona incerta in PD neurosurgical therapy

Mechanisms of Parkinson's disease surgical therapies in a rat model

Red cell membrane abnormalities in chorea-acanthocytosis and other neurological disorders

Genetics of movement disorders

 

Walker RH, Koch RJ, Moore C, Meshul CK. Subthalamic nucleus stimulation and lesioning have distinct state-dependent effects upon striatal dopamine metabolism. Synapse 2009; 63: 136-146.

Walker RH, Saiki S, Danek A, editors. Neuroacanthocytosis syndromes II. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg;.

Riccioppo Rodrigues GG, Walker RH, Bader B, Danek A, Marques Jr W, Tumas V. Chorea-acanthocytosis: report of two Brazilian cases. Movement Disorders 2008; 23(14): 2090-2093.

Rottnek M, Riggio S, Byne W, Sano M, Margolis RL, Walker RH. Schizophrenia in a patient with spinocerebellar ataxia 2: coincidence or a neurodegenerative cause of psychiatric disease . American Journal of Psychiatry 2008; 165(8): 964-967.

Walker RH, Jung HH, Tison F, Lee S, Danek A. Phenotypic variation among brothers with the McLeod neuroacanthocytosis syndrome . Movement Disorders 2007; 22(2): 244-247.

Walker RH, Dobson-Stone C, Rampoldi L, Sano A, Tison F, Danek A. Neurologic phenotypes associated with acanthocytosis . Neurology 2007; 68: 92-98.

Walker RH, Danek A, Uttner I, Offner R, Reid M, Lee S. McLeod phenotype without the McLeod syndrome. Transfusion 2007; 47(2): 299-305.

Walker RH, Liu Q, Ichiba M, Muroya S, Nakamura M, Sano A, Kennedy CA, Sclar G. Self-mutilation in chorea-acanthocytosis- manifestation of movement disorder or psychopathology?. Movement Disorders 2006; 21(12): 2268-2269.

Walker RH, Danek A, Dobson-Stone C, Guerrini R, Jung HH, Lafontaine AL, Rampoldi L, Tison F, Andermann E. Developments in neuroacanthocytosis: Expanding the spectrum of choreatic syndromes. Movement Disorders 2006; 21(11): 1794-1805.

Walker RH, Warwick R, Cercy SP. Augmentation of artistic productivity in Parkinson's disease . Movement Disorders 2006; 21(2): 285-286.