Donald L. Gilbert, MD, MS
- Pediatric Movement Disorders and Tourette Syndrome Specialist, Division of Neurology
- Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
- donald.gilbert@cchmc.org
- Board Certified
About
Biography
My parents inspired me to find a vocation that involved helping others. My fascination with the function of the human brain emerged in college, where I majored in philosophy. As a pediatric neurologist, I treat children and adolescents with movement disorders, including Tourette syndrome.
In my practice, I try to understand how neurological conditions and symptoms affect the child's life and function. With my work, I continually add to the field of neuroscience and find ways to apply new discoveries to improve children's quality of life.
Our team is pursuing multiple lines of research. We use transcranial magnetic stimulation to develop biomarkers of behavioral disorders and understand how the brain controls movement in healthy children and children affected by Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, and Neurofibromatosis. We hope to modulate the brain to improve symptoms. We participate in larger networks of researchers to identify new genes and do clinical trials of new medications.
In my free time, I’m an avid reader, and I also like to exercise and travel.
BA: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 1987
MD: University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, 1993
MS: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2003
Residency: Pediatrics, Child Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 1998
Certifications: Board Certified in Neurology with Special Competence in Child Neurology, 2010; Board eligible in Pediatrics
Interests
Movement disorders; Tourette syndrome; ataxia; dystonia; functional movement disorders; chorea; neurogenetics; ADHD
Services and Specialties
Interests
Clinical trials in Tourette syndrome and ataxia; genetics of Tourette syndrome; transcranial magnetic stimulation for neuromodulation and development of biomarkers of neurobehavioral symptoms for Tourette syndrome; ADHD; neurofibromatosis
Research Areas
Additional Languages
French, SpanishLocations (5)
Insurance Information
Cincinnati Children's strives to accept a wide variety of health plans. Please contact your health insurance carrier to verify coverage for your specific benefit plan.
Publications
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Pilot Study of N-Acetylcysteine for Motor and Cognitive Symptoms in Youth With Neurofibromatosis Type 1. Pediatric Neurology. 2026; 180:129-137.
Multiecho Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Severity and Motor Dysfunction in a Pediatric Sample of Neurofibromatosis Type 1. Pediatric Neurology. 2026; 181:136-147.
Education Research: The Future of Child Neurology Residency Training: The Perspective of a Child Neurology Society Task Force. Neurol Educ. 2026; 5(2):e200331.
Efficacy and Safety of Ecopipam for Tourette Syndrome: A Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurology. 2026.
Complementary and Integrative Medicine for the Treatment of Tourette's Syndrome. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice. 2026; 13(5):1166-1179.
Recessive AARS1 variants perturb human and mouse development. HGG Advances. 2026; 7(2):100565.
Pseudo-Dystonic Gait in a Preschool Child: Foot Posturing Contralateral to a Cuboid Fracture. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice. 2026.
Pharmacodynamics, Efficacy, and Safety of Intraputaminal Eladocagene Exuparvovec Administered to Pediatric Patients With Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency Using an MR-Compatible Cannula: 48 Weeks of Follow-Up. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease. 2026; 49(2):e70151.
Call for action: misinformation about Tourette syndrome from major media network. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2026.
117 Drug-Induced Movement Disorders in Children. In: Swaiman's Pediatric Neurology. Elsevier; 2026:1036-1042.e2.
From the Blog
New Med to Manage Tourette Syndrome Shows Promise in Phase III Clinical Trial
Donald L. Gilbert, MD, MS5/26/2026
The Joy of Witnessing Science Transform a Life
Donald L. Gilbert, MD, MS, Sudhakar Vadivelu, DO11/15/2024
Podcast | Understanding Tics and Tic Disorders
Donald L. Gilbert, MD, MS4/12/2024
Ecopipam Reduces Tics in Tourette Syndrome in Early Tests
Donald L. Gilbert, MD, MS3/30/2022
Gilbert Leads Clinical Trial Showing Benefits From New Drug for Tourette Syndrome
Donald L. Gilbert, MD, MS11/11/2021
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