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Christina M Drafta

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Christina M Drafta, M.D.

Assistant Professor;
Departments of Neurology (Clin Neurophysiology Div) and Hospital for Joint Diseases

Clinical Addresses

301 E. 17TH STREET, SUITE 1534
HOSPITAL FOR JOINT DISEASES
NEW YORK, NY 10003
Hours: Mon. 9 - 5; Tue. 9 - 5; Wed. 9 - 5; Thu. 9 - 5
Handicap Access: yes
Phone: 212-598-6185
Fax: 212-598-6009

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Medical Specialties

Neurology

Medical Expertise

Movement Disorders, Electromyography, General Neurology, Headaches (Migraines), Back/Spine Problems, Botox Injections, Parkinson's Disease, Gait Disturbances

Clinical Responsibilities

Dr.Cristina Drafta graduated medical school in Romania in 1991. She moved to US in 1994 when she entered the Neurology residency program at NYU which she completed in 1998. Subsequently she enrolled in 2 neurology fellowship programs: Clinical Neurophysiology at NYU (1998 to 1999) and Parkinson's disease and movement disorders at Mount Sinai Medical Center in NYC (1999 to 2001). She is Board certified in Neurology as well as Clinical Neurophysiology. She is currently Assistant Professor of Neurolgy at the NYU school of Medicine and is actively involved in the clinical instruction of fellows and residents. Her clinical practice is dedicated to the management of a large number of patients with Parkinson's disease (many of whom have had neurosurgical intervention for the management of their condition at NYU)and other movement disorders. She also has extensive expertise and experience in administering Botox injection treatments for neurological conditions (facial spasms, dystonia, tics, spasticity)and performs electrophysiological testing for conditions affecting peripheral nerves and muscles( nerve conductions and electromyography (EMG). Last but not least she also offers clinical neurological consultations focusing on (but not limited to )headaches, gait disorders, back and spine problems, dizziness/vertigo,neurogenic pain. She speaks Spanish fluently. Additionally, although the patient population in her practice comprises mainly adults, she is happy to offer movement disorder consultations and peripheral nerve testing for children as well.( ages 6 and above)

Languages

Spanish

Insurance

AETNA HMO, AETNA INDEMNITY, AETNA MEDICARE, AETNA POS, AETNA PPO, Cigna HMO/POS, Cigna PPO, EBCBS CHLD HLTH, EBCBS EPO, EBCBS HLTHY NY, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS INDEMNITY, EBCBS MEDIBLUE, EBCBS POS, EBCBS PPO, GHI CBP, HEALTHPLUS CHLD HLTH, HEALTHPLUS FAM HLTH, HIP ACCESS I, HIP ACCESS II, HIP CHLD HLTH, HIP EPO/PPO, HIP HMO, HIP MEDICARE, HIP POS, HealthPlus Medicaid, LOCAL 1199 PPO, MAGNACARE PPO, NYS EMPIRE PLAN, OXFORD FREEDOM, Oxford Medicare, UHC EPO, UHC HMO, UHC POS, UHC PPO, UHC TOP TIER, UPN Elite

Insurance Disclaimer: Insurance listed above may not be accepted at all office locations. Please confirm prior to each visit. The information presented here may not be complete or may have changed.

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Board Certification

2001 — Clinical Neurophysiology (Neurology)
2010 — Neurology

Education

1991 — Carol Davila Medical School, Medical Education
1994-1995 — Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Internal Medicine), Internship
1995-1998 — Bellevue Hospital (Neurology), Residency Training
1998-1999 — Hospital For Joint Diseases (Neurophysiology), Clinical Fellowships
1999-2001 — Mount Sinai Hospital (Movement Disorders), Clinical Fellowships

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All data from NYU Health Sciences Library Faculty Bibliography — -

Contact:
http://hsl.med.nyu.edu/faculty-bibliography-search#about

Long-term changes in motor function and stimulation parameters in patients with deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus for Parkinson's disease
Parker, EC; Beric, A; Sterio, D; Drafta, C; Xu, M; Taverna, PA; Kelly, PJ
2007 JAN-FEB ;85(1):30-31, Stereotactic & functional neurosurgery
— id: 70324, year: 2007, vol: 85, page: 30, stat: Journal Article,

Corticospinal excitability accompanying ballistic wrist movements in primary dystonia
MacKinnon, Colum D; Velickovic, Miodrag; Drafta, Cristina; Hesquijarosa, Alexander; Brin, Mitchell F
2004 Mar;19(3):273-284, Movement disorders
Current models of basal ganglia dysfunction in primary dystonia propose that the excessive muscle activity results from an increase in the excitability of the primary motor cortex. Neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies, however, have shown consistently reduced movement-related sensorimotor cortical activity. To explore this paradox, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to examine changes in corticospinal excitability preceding and during ballistic movements of the wrist in 9 patients with primary dystonia affecting the arm and 9 matched control subjects. The onset time, rate of rise, and duration of changes in the excitability of corticospinal projections to the agonist muscle were normal in the patients with dystonia. Increases in excitability were selective to the initial agonist muscle, suggesting that the spatial recruitment of corticospinal neurons was normal. Nonetheless, movements were slower in the patients by an average of 26%. The onset of the first agonist muscle burst was normal in magnitude and timing but the activity in this muscle subsequently became attenuated as movement progressed. Muscle activity in antagonist and proximal muscles of the upper arm was reduced significantly in the dystonia patients. These findings support the view that movement preparation and initiation at the level of the primary motor cortex is normal in patients with dystonia. Bradykinesia could not be attributed to co-contraction or overflow of activity and was associated with reduced rather than excessive muscle activity
— id: 42786, year: 2004, vol: 19, page: 273, stat: Journal Article,