FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 2000
Contact: Amy C. Kretchmer
(732) 632-1586
NEW JERSEY NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE PHYSICIAN INTERVIEWED BY BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
Martin Gizzi, M.D., Ph.D., director of neurology at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center in Edison, recently participated in the filming of a documentary on actor Dudley Moore’s music. The documentary, produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), will be aired in England and is expected to be picked up for international viewing later this year.
"While the documentary is a portrait of Dudley’s musical career, we felt it important to address his medical condition in the film so that the audience could have a better understanding of what has happened to him," stated Norman Stone, producer and director of 1A Productions Ltd, the Scotland-based company filming the documentary for the BBC. "Dudley went all over the world to obtain a diagnosis and no one could help him. But, within minutes of walking through Dr. Gizzi’s door at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, Dudley had an accurate diagnosis of his condition."
Gizzi’s diagnosis was that Moore suffered from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare, degenerative brain disorder related to Parkinson’s disease. Striking mostly middle-aged adults and the elderly, its cause remains a mystery and, although there is no cure, symptoms can often be alleviated with a variety of medications and therapy. Early PSP symptoms include falling, difficulty walking, imbalance, and slow movement, similar to Parkinson’s disease. People with PSP experience vision problems, such as double and blurred vision, as well as difficulty with speech and swallowing. Other symptoms can include changes in mood and behavior. In its advanced stages, patients with PSP are bedridden or in wheelchairs and require full-time care.
Gizzi’s area of specialty is neuro-ophthalmology and he is board certified in neurology. His area of research interest is balance disorders. Gizzi completed his research fellowship in visual physiology at New York University in New York City. His internship in medicine was completed at New Rochelle Hospital, New York Medical College. Gizzi finished both his fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology and a residency in neurology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. His doctorate in visual neurophysiology was completed at New York University in New York City.
The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center is an affiliate of Solaris Health System, serving the greater Central New Jersey region. The system includes acute care hospitals, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation centers, nursing and convalescent facilities, an assisted living community and specialized treatment programs. More than 1,000 of the area’s finest surgeons, physicians and dentists are affiliated with Solaris Health System.