Autonomic Disorders
Our Team
Steven Vernino, M.D., Ph.D.
Section Head
Contact
Alicia De Oliveira Lopes
Section Administrator
alicia.deoliveiralopes@utsouthwestern.edu
The UT Southwestern Autonomic Disorders section is one of the academic leaders in the nation, specializing in this group of rare diseases that affect up to 6% of the population. Our core missions include excellence in patient care, promoting education, and advancing research. The Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Clinic, a clinical center of excellence, and the NIH-funded postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) programs draw patients from all over the United States seeking clinical expertise and research participation.
Faculty
The Autonomic Disorders faculty members are nationally and internationally recognized for their contributions to the field. Their research ranges from basic science discoveries to novel therapeutic trials that focus on various targeted disorders: MSA, POTS, autoimmune autonomic neuropathy, and other forms of dysautonomia. Our faculty lead specialty autonomic clinics, providing a rich learning environment for our trainees.
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Autonomic Disorders Highlights
3
Faculty, all with extramural funding
1
MSA Clinical Center of Excellence
7
Subspecialty clinics
500+
Autonomic studies conducted annually across 3 lab sites
4+
Methods of additional autonomic function assessment
1
UCNS-accredited fellowship
Subspecialty Clinics
Beyond providing care for patients with the full range of autonomic disorders, our faculty lead subspecialty clinics for specific autonomic disorders, including MSA, amyloidosis, pure autonomic failure, autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy, and POTS. The multidisciplinary team also includes physical therapists with experience providing personalized exercise programs and other non-pharmacological approaches.
Research
Clinical research within the section includes observational and biomarker studies, as well as novel therapeutic trials for MSA, POTS, orthostatic hypotension, and other forms of dysautonomia. Our clinical cohorts provide a valuable resource for biomarker research. They feed into a large biorepository of blood samples from autonomic disorders patients and a brain bank for patients with MSA. Translational research focuses on the identification and characterization of autoimmune autonomic disorders and the deep phenotyping of POTS.
Education & Training
The fellowship is designed to provide intensive clinical exposure in a broad range of settings, with trainees working alongside faculty with extensive knowledge of these disorders. Faculty are thought leaders in the autonomic field, providing the trainees with perspectives that are both profound and nuanced.
For fellows, weekly teaching sessions complement the clinical and laboratory experience to provide a forum for the recognition of subtle clinical phenotypes, the exchange of clinical and scholarly ideas, and exposure to faculty whose training background is diverse. Our team is engaged in extramurally funded research, offering an opportunity for academic growth, scholarly projects, and career development. Advanced training opportunities can be curated to the needs of trainees who wish to become future clinicians, clinician-educators, and physician-scientists.