Abhishek Lenka, MD

Specialized care at the intersection of movement and autonomic disorders

Neurologic conditions that affect movement and those that affect the body’s automatic functions frequently overlap. Abhishek Lenka, M.D., Ph.D., is one of few people in the world with fellowship-level training in both.

Dr. Lenka is an award-winning expert in movement disorders and autonomic disorders, both of which appear in conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. He commonly treats patients with Parkinson’s and similar movement disorders, including essential tremor, dystonia, chorea, ataxia, tics and Tourette syndrome. He also frequently encounters conditions associated with autonomic dysfunction, such as multiple system atrophy, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and certain autoimmune diseases.

“I’m excited to build a focused niche at VCU Health in the fields of movement and autonomic disorders,” says Dr. Lenka, who arrived in Richmond in early 2026. “I hope to contribute to earlier diagnosis and comprehensive management of complex neurologic conditions and to integrate clinical care with research, helping to advance our understanding of these conditions and improve patient outcomes.”

Because these disorders often affect multiple organ systems, collaboration is central to Dr. Lenka’s practice. He works closely with colleagues in cardiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, nephrology, gastroenterology and clinical psychology, among others. He is especially enthusiastic about multidisciplinary clinics that allow patients to see multiple specialists in a coordinated setting. “These conditions are highly complex,” he explains, “and patients benefit greatly when care is diverse and team-based.”

One of Dr. Lenka’s unique contributions to VCU Health is his advanced training in autonomic disorders, which has only about 100 fellowship-trained experts in the United States and Canada. He is active in VCU Neurology’s Comprehensive Autonomic Center, where he conducts specialized autonomic function testing and helps expand access to advanced diagnostic and treatment services.

The concept of cura personalis — caring for the whole person — drives Dr. Lenka’s patient-centered approach. He emphasizes careful listening, shared decision-making and an understanding of each patient’s goals and daily challenges. “Especially with chronic neurologic conditions, it’s important to focus not just on the disease, but also on quality of life and overall well-being,” he says.

In India, Dr. Lenka earned his medical degree at Srirama Chandra Hanja Medical College and Hospital before completing a Ph.D. in clinical neuroscience at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, one of the world’s leading neuroscience centers. He then came to the United States to participate in the MedStar Georgetown–NIH Neurology Residency Program, followed by fellowship training in movement disorders at Baylor College of Medicine and autonomic disorders at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW).

For his research efforts — largely focused on the biology and clinical subtyping of neurodegenerative disease — Dr. Lenka received the Don Summers Memorial Multiple System Atrophy Travel Award from the American Autonomic Society (AAS) in 2021. In 2025, UTSW honored him with the UTSW Fred Baskin Young Investigator Award, recognizing his exceptional clinical research as a trainee.

Alongside his clinical and research work, as an assistant professor in VCU’s Department of Neurology, Dr. Lenka is passionate about medical education. “I am highly motivated to train and mentor fellows, residents, and medical students, fostering the next generation of neurologists who are skilled, compassionate and patient-centered in their approach,” he says.