Prof. Paolo Calabresi

Prof. Paolo Calabresi is one of Italy's most distinguished academic neurologists, holding the chair of neurology at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) in Rome and directing the Department of Neuroscience at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Gemelli IRCCS—one of Italy's largest and most technologically advanced university hospitals. His career spans more than 28 years of combined clinical neurology, neuroscience research, and academic leadership, making him a central figure in Italian and European neurology.

Prof. Calabresi's clinical work is anchored by two major areas: multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease. In MS, he leads a comprehensive centre providing diagnosis, monitoring, and individualized disease-modifying therapy for patients across all disease stages—from clinically isolated syndromes through relapsing-remitting and progressive forms. In Parkinson's disease, his deep understanding of the basal ganglia—the brain circuits disrupted in this condition—informs a highly nuanced approach to pharmacological management, with expertise in assessing candidates for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in collaboration with neurosurgical colleagues.

Beyond his MS and Parkinson's work, Prof. Calabresi manages patients with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, epilepsy, and neuromuscular conditions. His neurology clinic is equipped for advanced electrodiagnostics and brain stimulation techniques. He is deeply committed to bringing new treatments from bench to bedside, and many of his patients participate in international clinical trials that give them access to emerging therapies before they reach standard practice.

Patients from across Italy and from other countries specifically seek Prof. Calabresi for second opinions in MS and Parkinson's, valuing his integration of the latest scientific evidence with careful clinical reasoning.

Prof. Calabresi graduated in medicine and surgery (MD) with full marks from the University of Perugia, where he also completed his neurology residency and subsequently earned his PhD in neuroscience, focusing on synaptic physiology of basal ganglia circuits—work that became foundational to understanding dopaminergic modulation of striatal plasticity. He undertook postdoctoral research training at internationally recognized neuroscience centers, collaborating with leaders in basal ganglia physiology and movement disorders. He rose through the academic ranks at the University of Perugia before being appointed to the prestigious Chair of Neurology at the Catholic University in Rome. Throughout his career he has maintained active laboratory research alongside clinical practice, a dual commitment that has defined his approach to neurology as a science-driven discipline.

Prof. Calabresi's primary clinical expertise lies in the diagnosis and management of multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, supported by a broad competence in all areas of general and subspecialty neurology. For MS patients, he performs lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid analysis, coordinates MRI surveillance protocols, and prescribes and monitors the full range of disease-modifying therapies including interferon beta, natalizumab, ocrelizumab, and siponimod for secondary progressive MS. He applies transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for neurophysiological assessment of central motor conduction, which is particularly useful in MS evaluation.

In Parkinson's disease, his expertise encompasses detailed motor and non-motor assessment, levodopa challenge testing, and evaluation of patients for advanced therapies including deep brain stimulation (DBS) and duodenal levodopa infusion. For epilepsy, he performs EEG interpretation and manages patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy in collaboration with epilepsy surgery teams. EMG and nerve conduction studies complete his diagnostic toolkit for peripheral nerve and neuromuscular disease. He has particular interest in the interface between neurodegeneration and neuroplasticity, which informs his use of non-invasive brain stimulation as both a diagnostic and potential therapeutic tool.

Prof. Calabresi's research has produced more than 250 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals including Brain, Annals of Neurology, the Journal of Neuroscience, and Neurology. His most cited body of work concerns basal ganglia synaptic physiology—specifically the mechanisms of long-term potentiation and depression in striatal neurons, and how dopamine depletion in Parkinson's disease disrupts these processes. This fundamental science has helped explain both the motor symptoms of Parkinson's and the cognitive and psychiatric complications of dopaminergic therapy.

In multiple sclerosis, his research group investigates neuroplasticity mechanisms that allow the MS brain to compensate for demyelinating lesions, and how these mechanisms can be harnessed or protected by treatment. He collaborates with the ECTRIMS research network on large European MS cohorts and has contributed to clinical trial design for progressive MS therapies. He is a principal investigator on several Italian Ministry of Health and European Research Council grants supporting translational neuroscience. His group has also explored the role of the gut microbiome in neurological disease, an emerging area with potential implications across MS, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease.

Prof. Calabresi and the Gemelli Neurology Department routinely receive patients from other European countries and beyond who seek specialist evaluation for MS, Parkinson's disease, or complex neurological presentations. The Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS has an international patient office that facilitates appointment coordination, medical record review, and language support. Consultations are conducted in Italian and English. EU patients may seek cross-border care under EU healthcare directives; non-EU patients are accommodated on a private basis. Video consultations are available and are particularly suited to second opinion requests from patients already under neurological care in their home country, allowing Prof. Calabresi to review MRI scans, laboratory results, and clinical history remotely before recommending further evaluation or management changes.

Prof. Calabresi has received the Società Italiana di Neurologia (SIN) Research Prize, the most prestigious national award in Italian neurology, in recognition of his contributions to understanding basal ganglia physiology and its relevance to Parkinson's disease. He holds Fellow status in the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), reflecting the European neurological community's recognition of his scientific and clinical leadership. He has been a principal recipient of Italian Ministry of Health research grants for projects in neurodegeneration and neuroplasticity and has been awarded European Research Council funding for translational neuroscience. He has served as chair or co-chair of scientific sessions at major EAN and ECTRIMS congresses, and has contributed to the development of clinical guidelines for multiple sclerosis through both SIN and EAN committees.