Music and Movement Disorders

Our Mission

Music and movement share a deep and timeless connection, recognized across human history. The Music and Movement Disorders Initiative (MMDI) is dedicated to investigating, enhancing, and leveraging this synergy to improve the quality of life for individuals living with movement disorders.

Our goals include:

  • Improving clinical care for individuals with movement disorders through innovative, music-based interventions.
  • Improving clinical care of performing artists with movement disorders, optimizing their motor control and performance capabilities.

Our Programs:

Music as medicine: Individuals with movement disorders commonly report an improvement in their symptoms when listening to music, with research supporting symptom improvement. We provide interactive musical programming for our patients from world-class performing artists, as part of our commitment to individualized, multidisciplinary care. Learn more about our virtual concerts below.

Musicians as patients: Performing artists rely on refined motor control. We specialize in treating performing artists affected by movement disorders, including musician’s dystonia, leveraging multidisciplinary expertise to optimize care and symptom management.

Patient-centered research: In collaboration with leading investigators from our Division of Movement Disorders and the Columbia University community, we are committed to driving innovation in care through groundbreaking translational research. Generously supported by the Diane Goldberg Foundation, our work focuses on developing cutting-edge, music-based interventions to improve outcomes for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. Additionally, we are conducting in-depth studies into the pathophysiology of musician dystonia, striving to advance understanding and improve treatment for this debilitating condition.


Our Team

Director

Dr. Kima neurologist specializing in movement disorders, founded the Music and Movement Disorders Initiative by merging her expertise in violin performance with her commitment to compassionate patient care and innovative translational research. A graduate of both the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Eastman School of Music, Dr. Kim is driven by the belief that harnessing the therapeutic potential of music can revolutionize the treatment of movement disorders. Her work also focuses on advancing the understanding and management of movement disorders affecting performing artists, offering new insights into their pathophysiology and treatment.

Partners

We extend our deepest gratitude to our supporters, including the Diane Goldberg Foundation for making our mission possible. Their generous contributions drive groundbreaking care and research, making a profound difference in the lives of patients.

Collaborators

Partnering with leading organizations including Project Music Heals Us(link is external and opens in a new window) and Manhattan School of Music(link is external and opens in a new window), we strive to bring live, interactive performances to patients with movement disorders, blending therapeutic music experiences with artistic excellence. Explore a variety of musical genres and join us for these unique, uplifting events.