Stanford PD Community Blog

In May 2026, The Caring Neurologist podcast series featured an episode on swallowing difficulties in Parkinson’s disease. Sandeep Thakkar, DO, a movement disorder specialist in Southern California, talks about why swallowing problems occur, how to recognize early warning signs, and practical strategies for patients and families to maintain safety and quality of life. Swallowing difficulties are often overlooked in conversations about Parkinson’s but can have serious, even life-threatening consequences if missed.

The World Parkinson Congress (WPC) is a global, multi-day gathering of researchers, clinicians, care partners, advocates, and people living with PD that takes place every three years. This year, the 7th WPC took place from May 24–27, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona. I was excited to see Stanford neurologists presenting at WPC. Stanford’s movement disorders chief, Dr. Kathleen Poston, gave a talk titled “The Future of Biologically Defining and Staging PD, DLB and Related Disorders: What Do We Still Have to Learn to Transition to Clinic?” The talk was about moving promising research tools into everyday patient care.  

In mid-April 2026, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) hosted a webinar titled “What Causes Parkinson’s Disease?”, bringing together a panel of expert researchers to explore what science currently understands about the causes of Parkinson’s — including the roles of genetics, environmental exposures, and aging. The panel featured local legend Caroline Tanner, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology at the University of California San Francisco and the SF VA.  Read our notes.

At the Minnesota Spring Parkinson’s Symposium on April 10, 2026, social worker Joan Hlas, MSW, LISW, of Struthers Parkinson’s Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota presented “Caregiving as a Gift and How to Thrive Without a Gift Receipt.” The event was co-hosted by the APDA Minnesota Chapter, the Parkinson’s Foundation Minnesota and Dakotas Chapter, and the University of Minnesota Medical School.