David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

UCLA Movement Disorders Program
Clinic Appts: (310) 794-1195
Clinic Fax: (310) 794-7491

Biography

Dr. Jennifer Adrissi is a movement disorders neurologist and health services researcher at UCLA dedicated to improving patient outcomes and access disparities in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Adrissi received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park in Physiology and Neurobiology and her M.D. from Northwestern University. She completed her Neurology residency and Movement Disorders fellowship at Northwestern University. During her fellowship training, she also received her Master of Science degree in Clinical Research from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). As a fellow, she was accepted into the competitive American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Training in Research for Academic Neurologists to Sustain Careers and Enhance the Numbers of Diverse Scholars (TRANSCENDS) Program and was an NIH Neuro-NEXT fellow for clinical trial development.

Dr. Adrissi is currently dual-appointed as Assistant Professor of Neurology and Internal Medicine (Health Services Research). Her clinical expertise focuses on movement disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonism syndromes such as multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, and Lewy body dementia. Her research interests include the use of community based participatory research methods to develop community-partnered interventions to improve access to specialized care and clinical trials in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders within the Black community and other historically marginalized communities.

Specialty

Neurology, movement disorders, Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, and Lewy body dementia.

Board Certifications

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Affiliations

Physicians

ADRC - Clinical Core

Education and Degrees

B.Sc., Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Maryland, College Park

M.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

M.S., Clinical Research, Medical University of South Carolina

Awards and Honors

Northwestern NeuroNEXT Clinical Trials Fellowship (2021-2022)

Alpha Omega Alpha, Northwestern University Chapter (2021)

American Neurological Association (ANA) International Outreach Scholarship Award (2020)  - A Needs Assessment of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease and their Care-Partners in Lusaka, Zambia 

Northwestern Global Health Day: Honorable Mention (2020) - A Case of Granule Cell Neuronopathy in an HIV+ Patient Presenting with Severe Ataxia 

American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Training in Research for Academic Neurologists to Sustain Careers and Enhance the Numbers of Diverse Scholars (TRANSCENDS) Program - One of 5 accepted nationally to the fourth cohort of the NINDS R25 funded program (2020-2022) for promising young academic neurologists. Includes a Master of Science degree in Clinical Research, mentored research project, and grant application support 

Gold Humanism Honor Society (2019)

Publications

Adrissi J, Chomba M, Chishimba L, Zimba S, Koralnik IJ, and Saylor D. (2022) The case of a 42-year-old man with progressive gait instability, dysarthria, and dysphagia. Ann Clin Transl Neurol. doi: 10.1002/acn3.51678. Epub ahead of print. 

Adrissi J, Fleisher J. (2022) Moving the Dial Toward Equity in Parkinson's Disease Clinical Research: a Review of Current Literature and Future Directions in Diversifying PD Clinical Trial Participation. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep, 22(8), 475-483. doi: 10.1007/s11910-022-01212-8 

Stamm B, Yu M, Adrissi J, Brooker SM, Hac NEF, Priyadarshini S, and Dixit K. (2021). Clinical Problem-Solving: Lower Extremity Weakness & Paresthesia in an Immunocompromised Patient With a Complex Cancer History. The Neurohospitalist, 194187442110173. doi.org/10.1177/19418744211017396 

Adrissi J, Miao G, Yu Y, and Simuni T. (2020). Impact of race and socioeconomic status on the utilization of advanced therapies in Parkinson’s Disease (Abstract). Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 79, e77. doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2020.06.280 

Youmans Q, Adrissi J, Akhetuamhen A, Gates K, Didwania A, Wayne D, and Suleiman L. (2020). The STRIVE Initiative: A Resident-Led Mentorship Framework for Underrepresented Minority Medical Students. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 12 (1), 74-79. 

Adrissi J, Nadkarni NA, Gausche E, and Bega D. (2019). Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for Refractory Psychiatric Symptoms in Huntington’s Disease: A Case Series and Review of the Literature. Journal of Huntington’s Disease, 8(3), 291–300. doi: 10.3233/jhd-190361 

Smith J, Kwon S, Mason M, and Sheehan K. (2018). Investigating the Support Networks for Mothers of a High-density Public Housing Community and the Effects of Housing Closures on These Support Systems. Journal of Urban Health, 95(3), 401–408. doi: 10.1007/s11524-018-0242-x 

Oral Presentations

Adrissi J. (2020). Improving the Care of Spanish-Speaking Patients during Neurologic Emergencies. American Neurological Association (ANA) Annual Meeting.

Adrissi J. (2019). A Graduate Medical Trainee-Led Mentorship Framework to Prepare Underrepresented Minority Medical Students for Residency. National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Transition to Residency: Conversations Across the Medical Education Continuum Conference, Chicago, IL.

Adrissi J. (2018). Selected as one of eight presenters – Paraneoplastic Chorea. Bring Your Own Patient Video Presentation Competition. MDS-PAS Movement Disorders School for Neurology Residents, Dallas, TX. 

Poster Presentations

Adrissi J. (Apr 2021). The Chicago Movement Coalition: A Community-Partnered Intervention. American Association of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting.

Adrissi J. (Oct 2020). Impact of Race and Socioeconomic Status on the Utilization of Advanced Therapies in Parkinson's Disease. American Neurological Association (ANA) Annual Meeting.

Adrissi J. (Apr 2020). Impact of Race and Socioeconomic Status on the Utilization of Advanced Therapies in Parkinson's Disease. Virtual American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Conference.

Adrissi J. (Sept 2019). Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): An Effective Option for the Treatment of Medication-Resistant Psychiatric Symptoms in Huntington's Disease: A Case Series and Review of the Literature. Movement Disorders Society (MDS) International Congress, Nice, France.

Adrissi J. (May 2019). Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for the Treatment of Refractory Depression in Huntington’s Disease Patients: A Case Series. American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Adrissi J. (Apr 2019). A Mentoring Framework for Underrepresented Minority Trainees: The STRIVE Initiative. Group on Business Affairs (GBA), Group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI), and Group on Institutional Planning (GIP). AAMC GBA/GDI/GIP Joint Spring Meeting, Chicago, IL.

Adrissi J. (Nov 2018). Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) for the Treatment of Refractory Depression in Huntington’s Disease Patients: A Case Series. Huntington Study Group Annual Conference, Houston, TX.

Adrissi J. (Nov 2018). Resilience through Transition: The Effect of Specific Support Systems on Maternal Well-Being amidst Root Shock. 2018 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, Orlando, FL.

Smith J. (Oct 2015). Intergenerational Changes in Parenting Environment and Social Support Structure on Maternal Health and Parenting Experience in a Low-Income Urban Community. 2015 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition, Washington, DC.