Ronald F. Pfeiffer, Ph.D.

Ronald F. Pfeiffer, Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Neurology


The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
855 Monroe Avenue, Room 415
Memphis, TN 38163
Phone: (901) 448-6811
Fax: (901) 448-7440
Email: Ronald F. Pfeiffer



Education

  • M.D. Institution: University of Nebraska Medical Center
  • Postdoctoral: Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Link

Research Interests

The primary focus of my research is on Parkinson's disease. Clinical trials of experimental antiparkinson medications are an ongoing facet of the research program. Gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson's disease also has become a major focus of my research interest. Characterization of the clinical profile of GI dysfunction in Parkinson's disease has been undertaken and experimental treatment protocols also developed. More recently, collaborative studies investigating the underlying pathophysiology of GI dysfunction in Parkinson's disease have been instituted.

We are also investigating, via primary cell culture techniques, possible toxic factors to dopamine neurons along with studies of cytoskeletal changes that may have relevance to Lewy body formation.

Representative Publications

  • Pfeiffer RF. Autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease. Expert Rev Neurother. 2012 Jun;12(6):697-706. doi: 10.1586/ern.12.17. Review. PubMed PMID: 22650172.
  • Korff A, Pfeiffer B, Smeyne M, Kocak M, Pfeiffer RF, Smeyne RJ. Alterations in glutathione S-transferase pi expression following exposure to MPP+ -induced oxidative stress in the blood of Parkinson's disease patients. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2011 Dec;17(10):765-8. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2011.06.026. Epub 2011 Aug 12. PubMed PMID: 21840241; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3307132.
  • Puschmann A, Pfeiffer RF, Stoessl AJ, Kuriakose R, Lash JL, Searcy JA, Strongosky AJ, Vilariño-Güell C, Farrer MJ, Ross OA, Dickson DW, Wszolek ZK. A family with Parkinsonism, essential tremor, restless legs syndrome, and depression. Neurology. 2011 May 10;76(19):1623-30. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318219fb42. PubMed PMID: 21555728; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3100088.
  • Pfeiffer RF. Wilson's disease. Handb Clin Neurol. 2011;100:681-709. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-52014-2.00049-5. Review. PubMed PMID: 21496616.
  • Xiao J, Bastian RW, Perlmutter JS, Racette BA, Tabbal SD, Karimi M, Paniello R, Blitzer A, Batish SD, Wszolek ZK, Uitti RJ, Van Gerpen JA, Hedera P, Simon DK, Tarsy D, Truong DD, Frei KP, Pfeiffer RF, Gong S, LeDoux MS. Novel human pathological mutations. Gene symbol: THAP1. Disease: dystonia 6. Hum Genet. 2010 Apr;127(4):470. PubMed PMID: 21488298.
  • Xiao J, Zhao Y, Bastian RW, Perlmutter JS, Racette BA, Tabbal SD, Karimi M, Paniello R, Blitzer A, Batish SD, Wszolek ZK, Uitti RJ, Van Gerpen JA, Hedera P, Simon DK, Tarsy D, Truong DD, Frei KP, Pfeiffer RF, Gong S, LeDoux MS. Novel human pathological mutations. Gene symbol: THAP1. Disease: dystonia 6. Hum Genet. 2010 Apr;127(4):470. PubMed PMID: 21488297.

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