Professional background
Dr Saifee is a consultant neurologist at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, where he runs an outpatient and inpatient service for patients with movement disorders and is the departmental clinical lead for audit. He is also a consultant neurologist at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust where he runs a neurology service seeing patients with all neurological disorders.
Dr Saifee has expertise in movement disorders and has a particular interest in tremor, dystonia and Parkinson’s disease. He qualified at University College London Medical School and undertook higher specialist training on the coveted NIHR academic training scheme at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and The Royal Free London.
He was awarded a fellowship from the National Institute for Health Research and was awarded a PhD on his original work on the clinical aspects and pathophysiological mechanisms of tremor.
He has an active role in neurology postgraduate and undergraduate education for which he has been awarded multiple prizes. He currently runs the Queen Square PACES course, the Queen Square Leading Edge course and the Queen Square Neurology Specialty Certificate Examination revision course. He is on the course committee for the distance diploma.
He is a member of the Association of British Neurologists and the Movement Disorder Society. He is part of the movement disorder advisory panel to the Association of British Neurologists. He has advised NICE and NCEPOD on technology appraisals and national audits in the treatment of movement disorders.
Research interests
Dr Saifee was awarded a PhD at the UCL Institute of Neurology and has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers in academic journals, predominantly in the field of movement disorders.
His current specific research interests are in tremor, dystonia and Parkinson’s disease. He is and has been a principal investigator for multiple clinical trials for Parkinson's disease.
Publications
A multicentre, randomised controlled trial to compare the clinical and cost-effectiveness of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment versus standard NHS Speech and Language Therapy versus control in Parkinson's disease: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. PD COMM Collaborative Group. Trials. 2020 May 27;21(1):436.
Effectiveness and safety of opicapone in Parkinson's disease patients with motor fluctuations: the OPTIPARK open-label study. OPTIPARK investigators. Transl Neurodegener. 2020 Mar 4;9(1):9.
Tremor. Saifee TA. Br Med Bull. 2019 Jun 19;130(1):51-63.
Susac syndrome presenting with acute hemibody paraesthesia. Campbell P, Kaski D, Saifee TA. JRSM Cardiovasc Dis. 2019 Apr 23;8:2048004019844687.
Reappraising the role of motor surround inhibition in dystonia. Kassavetis P, Sadnicka A, Saifee TA, et al. J Neurol Sci. 2018 Jul 15;390:178-183.
Jaw clonus in motor neuron disease: an interesting case and review of literature. Saifee TA, Macerollo A.Neurol Sci. 2018 May;39(5):949-950.
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Sriram N, Saifee TA. Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2017 Jul 2;78(7):C98-C102.
A Pilot Study of Botulinum Toxin for Jerky, Position-Specific, Upper Limb Action Tremor. Saifee TA, Teodoro T, Erro R, Edwards MJ, Cordivari C.Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y). 2016 Sep 29;6:406.
Insufficient global health education in European neurological post-graduate training: a European Association of Young Neurologists and Trainees survey. Sauerbier A, Macerollo A, Györfi O, Balicza P, Moarcas M, Papp V, Zis P, Klingelhoefer L, Saifee T, Struhal W, Sellner J. Eur J Neurol. 2016 Nov;23(11):1680-1683.
Validation of "laboratory-supported" criteria for functional (psychogenic) tremor. Schwingenschuh P, Saifee TA, Katschnig-Winter P, et al. Mov Disord. 2016 Apr;31(4):555-62.
Estimation of the phase response curve from Parkinsonian tremor. Saifee TA, Edwards MJ, Kassavetis P, Gilbertson T.J Neurophysiol. 2016 Jan 1;115(1):310-23.
Developing a Tool for Remote Digital Assessment of Parkinson's Disease. Kassavetis P, Saifee TA, Roussos G, et al. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2015 Oct 20;3(1):59-64.
Tremor in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: No evidence of cerebellar dysfunction. Saifee TA, Pareés I, Kassavetis P, et al. Clin Neurophysiol. 2015 Sep;126(9):1817-24.
Distinguishing the central drive to tremor in Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. Brittain JS, Cagnan H, Mehta AR, Saifee TA, Edwards MJ, Brown P. J Neurosci. 2015 Jan 14;35(2):795-806.
Abnormalities of Masseteric Inhibitory Reflex in Hereditary Geniospasm: Evidence for a Brainstem Myoclonus. Macerollo A, Saifee TA, Kassavetis P, Pilurzi G, Schneider SA, Edwards MJ, Bhatia KP. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2014 Oct 13;2(1):49-52.
Tremor of the eyes in Parkinson's disease: merely a measure of the head movement. Saifee TA, Kaski D, Buckwell D, Bronstein AM. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2014 Dec;20(12):1447-8.
All in the blink of an eye: new insight into cerebellar and brainstem function in DYT1 and DYT6 dystonia. Sadnicka A, Teo JT, Kojovic M, Pareés I, Saifee TA, et al. Eur J Neurol. 2015 May;22(5):762-7.
Facial tremor in dystonia. Erro R, Stamelou M, Saifee TA, et al. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2014 Aug;20(8):924-5.
Normal motor adaptation in cervical dystonia: a fundamental cerebellar computation is intact. Sadnicka A, Patani B, Saifee TA, et al. Cerebellum. 2014 Oct;13(5):558-67.
Motor 'surround inhibition' is not correlated with activity in surround muscles. Kassavetis P, Sadnicka A, Saifee TA, et al. Eur J Neurosci. 2014 Aug;40(3):2541-7.
Dystonic Tremor and Spasmodic Dysphonia in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 12. Ganos C, Saifee TA, Kassavetis P, Eet al. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2014 Apr 10;1(1):79-81.
Physical precipitating factors in functional movement disorders. Pareés I, Kojovic M, Pires C, Rubio-Agusti I, Saifee TA, et al. J Neurol Sci. 2014 Mar 15;338(1-2):174-7.
Rest and other types of tremor in adult-onset primary dystonia. Erro R, Rubio-Agusti I, Saifee TA, et al. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2014 Sep;85(9):965-8.
Reply: To PMID 23737007. Parees I, Saifee TA, Edwards MJ. Mov Disord. 2013 Nov;28(13):1907.
Prehospital thrombolysis in acute stroke: results of the PHANTOM-S pilot study. Saifee TA, Burd CM, Koppel C. Neurology. 2013 Sep 3;81(10):938.
Pallidal stimulation for cervical dystonia does not correct abnormal temporal discrimination. Sadnicka A, Kimmich O, Pisarek C, Ruge D, Galea J, Kassavetis P, Pareés I, Saifee T, et al. Mov Disord. 2013 Nov;28(13):1874-7.
How to use the entrainment test in the diagnosis of functional tremor. Roper LS, Saifee TA, Parees I, Rickards H, Edwards MJ.Pract Neurol. 2013 Dec;13(6):396-8.
Functional (psychogenic) symptoms in Parkinson's disease. Pareés I, Saifee TA, Kojovic M, Kassavetis P, Rubio-Agusti I, Sadnicka A, Bhatia KP, Edwards MJ. Mov Disord. 2013 Oct;28(12):1622-7.
A normal inferior olive in essential tremor--peacemaker or pacemaker? Saifee TA, Edwards MJ.Mov Disord. 2013 Jun;28(6):694-6.
Coactivation of direct and indirect pathways: insights into the basal ganglia and normal movement control. Edwards MJ, Saifee TA. Mov Disord. 2013 May;28(5):582.
Reply to letter--Eye oscillations in Parkinson's disease relate to the vestibulo-ocular reflex. Kaski D, Saifee TA, Buckwell D, Bronstein AM. Mov Disord. 2013 Jun;28(6):845-6.
Cerebellar learning distinguishes inflammatory neuropathy with and without tremor. Schwingenschuh P, Saifee TA, Katschnig-Winter P, et al. Neurology. 2013 May 14;80(20):1867-73.
Tremulous cervical dystonia is likely to be familial: clinical characteristics of a large cohort. Rubio-Agusti I, Pareés I, Kojovic M, Stamelou M, Saifee TA, et al. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2013 Jun;19(6):634-8.
Functional movement disorders are not uncommon in the elderly. Batla A, Stamelou M, Edwards MJ, Pareés I, Saifee TA, et al. Mov Disord. 2013 Apr;28(4):540-3.
Failure of explicit movement control in patients with functional motor symptoms. Pareés I, Kassavetis P, Saifee TA, et al. Mov Disord. 2013 Apr;28(4):517-23.
Ocular tremor in Parkinson's disease is due to head oscillation. Kaski D, Saifee TA, Buckwell D, Bronstein AM. Mov Disord. 2013 Apr;28(4):534-7.
Intracortical circuits, sensorimotor integration and plasticity in human motor cortical projections to muscles of the lower face. Pilurzi G, Hasan A, Saifee TA, et al. J Physiol. 2013 Apr 1;591(7):1889-906.
Cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation does not alter motor surround inhibition. Sadnicka A, Kassavetis P, Saifee TA, et al. Int J Neurosci. 2013 Jun;123(6):425-32.
Tremor in inflammatory neuropathies. Saifee TA, Schwingenschuh P, Reilly MM, Lunn MP, Katschnig P, Kassavetis P, Pareés I, Manji H, Bhatia K, Rothwell JC, Edwards MJ. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2013 Nov;84(11):1282-7.
Adaptation of surround inhibition in the human motor system. Kassavetis P, Saifee TA, Sadnicka A, Pareés I, Kojovic M, Rothwell JC, Edwards MJ. Exp Brain Res. 2012 Oct;222(3):211-7.
Dural arteriovenous fistula of the medulla initially mimicking Guillain-Barré syndrome. Clark CN, Saifee TA, Cowley PO, Ginsberg L. Arch Neurol. 2012 Jun;69(6):786-7.
Inpatient treatment of functional motor symptoms: a long-term follow-up study. Saifee TA, Kassavetis P, Pareés I, et al. J Neurol. 2012 Sep;259(9):1958-63.
Joint hypermobility syndrome: a risk factor for fixed dystonia? Kassavetis P, Batla A, Pareés I, Saifee TA, et al. Mov Disord. 2012 Jul;27(8):1070.
Psychogenic palatal tremor may be underrecognized: reappraisal of a large series of cases. Stamelou M, Saifee TA, Edwards MJ, Bhatia KP.Mov Disord. 2012 Aug;27(9):1164-1168.
The brighter side of music in dystonia. Kojovic M, Pareés I, Sadnicka A, Kassavetis P, Rubio-Agusti I, Saifee TA, Bologna M, Rothwell JC, Edwards MJ, Bhatia KP. Arch Neurol. 2012 Jul;69(7):917-9.
'Jumping to conclusions' bias in functional movement disorders. Pareés I, Kassavetis P, Saifee TA, Sadnicka A, Bhatia KP, Fotopoulou A, Edwards MJ. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2012 Apr;83(4):460-3.
Chronic immune sensory polyradiculopathy with cranial and peripheral nerve involvement. Trip SA, Saifee T, Honan W, Chandrashekar H, Lunn MP, Yousry T, Koltzenburg M, Reilly MM. J Neurol. 2012 Jun;259(6):1238-40.
Tardive movement disorders: a practical approach. Saifee TA, Edwards MJ.Pract Neurol. 2011 Dec;11(6):341-8.
Believing is perceiving: mismatch between self-report and actigraphy in psychogenic tremor. Pareés I, Saifee TA, Kassavetis P, Kojovic M, Rubio-Agusti I, Rothwell JC, Bhatia KP, Edwards MJ. Brain. 2012 Jan;135(Pt 1):117-23.
Attention to self in psychogenic tremor. van Poppelen D, Saifee TA, Schwingenschuh P, et al. Mov Disord. 2011 Dec;26(14):2575-6.
Moving toward "laboratory-supported" criteria for psychogenic tremor. Schwingenschuh P, Katschnig P, Seiler S, Saifee TA, et al. Mov Disord. 2011 Dec;26(14):2509-15.
Cerebellar brain inhibition is decreased in active and surround muscles at the onset of voluntary movement. Kassavetis P, Hoffland BS, Saifee TA, et al. Exp Brain Res. 2011 Mar;209(3):437-42.
Sarcoidosis presenting as acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. Saifee TA, Reilly MM, Ako E, et al. Muscle Nerve. 2011 Feb;43(2):296-8.
Bortezomib-induced inflammatory neuropathy. Saifee TA, Elliott KJ, Rabin N, et al. J Peripher Nerv Syst. 2010 Dec;15(4):366-8.
Olfactory function in Parkinson's disease in ON versus OFF states. Saifee T, Lees AJ, Silveira-Moriyama L. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2010 Nov;81(11):1293-5.