At NYU Langone’s Dysautonomia Center, our experts are committed to improving the quality of life for people with autonomic disorders by bridging the gap between basic science and clinical medicine. Our team provides comprehensive and compassionate care to help patients manage the daily challenges of living with autonomic dysfunction.
Recognition
U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” ranks NYU Langone the No. 1 hospital in the nation for neurology and neurosurgery.
Your autonomic nervous system is comprised of a network of neurons that transmits information from the brain and spinal cord to your heart, bladder, gastrointestinal tract, sweat glands, blood vessels, sexual organs, and pupils of your eyes. For the most part, the autonomic nervous system is not under your voluntary control.
Dysautonomia occurs when this system malfunctions. The condition can happen in several different disorders. Learn more about the types of autonomic disorders.
Our Dysautonomia Center is a unique facility that welcomes both adults and children, along with family members and others who are involved in the care of patients with autonomic disorders. As one of the few centers in the world specializing in autonomic disorders—both genetic and non-genetic, or sporadic, types—we strive to provide our patients with the most up-to-date and accurate information on their condition, prognosis, and treatment options. For more than 40 years, our center has been supported by the Familial Dysautonomia Foundation, Inc.
We also have an autonomic disorders research program and laboratory. Our team has made a number of discoveries that have shaped our understanding of autonomic disorders, allowing us to bring new treatment options to people living with this condition.
Research and Education
We perform laboratory research and clinical trials, and train medical experts.
Learn MoreWe focus on the treatment of autonomic dysfunction as the result of hereditary diseases, such as familial dysautonomia and hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies, and neurodegenerative conditions, such as multiple system atrophy, Parkinson’s disease, or neuropathies.
If you fit this description, you may be evaluated at our outpatient clinic. Please ask your primary care physician to send you a referral letter, as well as your blood pressure readings and heart rate, measured while lying down and then standing. You must also complete our assessment forms regarding your symptoms and medical history that are sent to you upon contacting us.
We ask that your physician send us a copy of your medical records by mail or fax. Medical records are not returned, so please do not send originals.
After we receive this information, we contact you to discuss a possible visit to the clinic and a date for autonomic testing.
To ensure an efficient and effective visit, please make sure to bring the following materials to your first appointment or fax them before you arrive:
On the day of your visit, you are asked to fill out additional questionnaires as well.
During your visit, you meet with a Dysautonomia Center team member who asks you questions about your medical problem and performs a thorough physical and neurological examination. The information you provide and the results of the assessment are used to determine which autonomic tests are performed next.
If you are eligible, you may be asked to sign a consent form to participate in our international registry for patients with autonomic disorders. All information is kept confidential.
