Prof. Dr Wojtecki specializes in the treatment of movement disorders (e.g. Parkinson's disease), cognitive neurology and neuromodulation. This includes, for example, deep brain stimulation (“brain pacemaker”), motor cortex stimulation, but also non-invasive methods (tDCS, tACS, tRNS, (r)TMS, TPS) and neurofeedback.

His scientific focus is on the cognitive and emotional functions of neuronal networks and their ability to be modulated by brain stimulation. The methodological focus is on neuropsychological behavioral studies and interventional neurophysiology in an interdisciplinary approach involving neuroscience, psychology and philosophy. In 2018, Lars Wojtecki received the Richard Jung Prize (“Great Research Prize”) from the German Society for Clinical Neurophysiology and Functional Imaging (DGKN) for his research. He is a speaker at numerous international congresses and symposia and the author of over 100 neuroscientific articles as well as book contributions and monographs in the neuroscientific and philosophical context. In addition, online scientific and lay publications in podcast, video and social media format, among other things, as well as publishing work as an expert author at ThePioneer. He has been running the “Planvoll & Neurotisch” podcast with Prof. Martin Südmeyer since March 2022 and „Prof Wojteckis Brain Radio“ since 2023.

Wojtecki is a reviewer and on the editorial board of numerous international specialist journals and is active in a number of professional societies, including on the board of the Deep Brain Stimulation Working Group under the umbrella organization of the German Society for Neurology (DGN) and the German Society for Neurosurgery (DGNC) as well as in scientific panels and the Education Committee of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN). He is Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology (FEAN) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (FRSM).

He is committed to ensuring that neurology and neuroscience, as a key discipline of the 21st century, is heard in society, e.g. in the German Brain Foundation, the Parkinson Foundation and as a regional representative of the German Stroke Foundation.

Short CV:

Born in Muenster (Westf.), Germany. Graduated from the Gymnasium Augustinianum Greven, Germany. Studied medicine and philosophy (minor subjects history and ethics of medicine, political science, sociology and educational psychology). Medical and scientific training stations: WWU Münster, University of Cologne, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig, Fernuniversität Hagen and Columbia University New York.

Promotion to "Dr. med.” at the Department of Stereotaxy and Functional Neurosurgery at the University of Cologne.

Habilitation and venia legendi for neurology at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf (HHU), where he was an adjunct professor.

Specialist training at the University Hospital Düsseldorf. There until 2018 managing senior physician of the clinic for neurology and deputy head of its center for movement disorders and neuromodulation, also establishment and coordinator of the functional area cognitive neurology. Teaching coordinator of the Clinic for Neurology, coordinator of the study block Head and Nervous System as well as member of the teaching committee of the Medical faculty of the HHU. Since 2019 founder of the Clinic for Neurology and Neurorehabilitation in Kempen, an Academic Teaching Hospital of the Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf.

Contact:

mail@larswojtecki.de

Publication Databases / Networks / Social Media:

Linktree

PubMed / Google Scholar/ Academia.edu / Research Gate / Frontiers / LinkedIn / Facebook / Twitter / Google Scholar / Instagram

Selected Publications

Journals:

Cont C, Stute N, Galli A, Schulte C, Logmin K, Trenado C, Wojtecki L
Retrospective real-world pilot data on transcranial pulse stimulation in mild to severe Alzheimer's patients 

Front Neurol. 2022 (13) DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.948204

Tödt I, Al-Fatly B, Granert O, Kühn AA, Krack P, Rau J, Timmermann L, Schnitzler A, Paschen S, Helmers AK, Hartmann A, Bardinet E, Schuepbach M, Barbe MT, Dembek TA, Fraix V, Kübler D, Brefel-Courbon C, Gharabaghi A, Wojtecki L, Pinsker MO, Thobois S, Damier P, Witjas T, Houeto JL, Schade-Brittinger C, Vidailhet M, Horn A, Deuschl G.
The Contribution of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation to the Improvement in Motor Functions and Quality of Life.
Mov Disord. 2022 Feb;37(2):291-301. doi: 10.1002/mds.28952. Epub 2022 Feb 3. PMID: 35112384.

Wojtecki L, Schnitzler A.
Subthalamic low frequency stimulation in Parkinson's disease: Ready for everyday use to improve cognition?
Brain Stimul. 2021 Sep-Oct;14(5):1068-1069.

doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.07.008. Epub 2021 Jul 19. PMID: 34293512.

Zimmermann KM, Harmel J, Wojtecki L
CORE‐Myoclonus Syndrome: A Proposed Neurological Initial Manifestation of COVID‐19

Mov Disord Clin Pract 2021; 8(4): 637–638.

Schmidt N, Tödt I, Berg D, Schlenstedt C, Folkerts AK, Ophey A, Dimenshteyn K, Elben S, Wojtecki L, Liepelt-Scarfone I, Schulte C, Sulzer P, Eggers C, Kalbe E, Witt K
Memory enhancement by multidomain group cognitive training in patients with Parkinson's disease and mild cognitive impairment: long-term effects of a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

J Neurol. 2021 Apr 27. doi: 10.1007/s00415-021-10568-9.

Schönfeld LM, Wojtecki L.
Beyond Emotions: Oscillations of the Amygdala and Their Implications for Electrical Neuromodulation.

Front Neurosci. 2019 Apr 18;13:366

Logmin K, Karam M, Schichel T, Harmel J, Wojtecki L.
Non-epileptic seizures in autonomic dysfunction as the initial symptom of COVID-19.

J Neurol. 2020 Sep;267(9):2490-2491. 

Kalbe E, Folkerts AK, Ophey A, Eggers C, Elben S, Dimenshteyn K, Sulzer P, Schulte C, Schmidt N, Schlenstedt C, Berg D, Witt K, Wojtecki L*, Liepelt-Scarfone I*. *equal contribution
Enhancement of Executive Functions but Not Memory by Multidomain Group Cognitive Training in Patients with Parkinson's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

Parkinsons Dis. 2020 Nov 30;2020:4068706. doi: 10.1155/2020/4068706. eCollection 2020

Schuepbach WMM, Tonder L, Schnitzler A, Krack P, Rau J, Hartmann A, Hälbig T, Pineau F, Falk A, Paschen L, Paschen S, Volkmann J, Dafsari HS, Barbe MT, Fink GR, Kühn A, Kupsch A, Schneider GH, Seigneuret E, Fraix V, Kistner A, Chaynes PP, Ory-Magne F, Brefel-Courbon C, Vesper J, Wojtecki L, Derrey S, Maltête D, Damier P, Derkinderen P, Sixel-Döring F, Trenkwalder C, Gharabaghi A, Wächter T, Weiss D, Pinsker MO, Regis JM, Witjas T, Thobois S, Mertens P, Knudsen K, Schade-Brittinger C, Houeto JL, Agid Y, Vidailhet M, Timmermann L, Deuschl G; EARLYSTIM study group.
Quality of life predicts outcome of deep brain stimulation in early Parkinson disease.
Neurology. 2019 Feb 8

Lhommée E, Wojtecki L, Czernecki V, et al.
Behavioural outcomes of subthalamic stimulation and medical therapy versus medical therapy alone for Parkinson's disease with early motor complications (EARLYSTIM trial): secondary analysis of an open-label randomised trial

The Lancet Neurology, 2018, Volume 17 , Issue 3 , 223 - 231

Wojtecki L, Hirschmann J, Elben S, Boschheidgen M, Trenado C, Vesper J, Schnitzler A

Oscillatory Coupling of the Subthalamic Nucleus in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Brain, Volume 140, Issue 9, 1 September 2017, Pages e56,

Wojtecki L, Elben S, Vesper J, Schnitzler A.
The rhythm of the executive gate of speech: Subthalamic low-frequency oscillations increase during verbal generation.

Eur J Neurosci. 2017 May;45(9):1200-1211.

Wojtecki L.
Listen to brain networks responding to placebos!

J Physiol. 2016 Oct 1;594(19):5367. doi: 10.1113/JP272209.

Trenado, C, Elben, S, Petri, D, Hirschmann, J, Groiss, S.J, Vesper, J, Schnitzler A, Wojtecki L Combined Invasive Subcortical and Non-invasive Surface Neurophysiological Recordings for the Assessment of Cognitive and Emotional Functions in Humans.
J. Vis. Exp. (111), e53466, doi:10.3791/53466 (2016).

Wojtecki L, Groiss S, Ferrea S, Elben S, Hartmann CJ, Dunnett S, Rosser A, Saft C, Südmeyer M, Ohmann C, Schnitzler A, Vesper J
A prospective pilot trial for pallidal deep brain stimulation in Huntington´s disease.
Front. Neurol. 6:177. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2015.00177

Wojtecki L, Petri D, Elben S, Hirschmann J, Yelnik J, Eickhoff S, Vesper J, Schnitzler A

Modulation of central thalamic oscillations during emotional-cognitive processing in chronic disorder of consciousnes
Cortex. 2014 Nov;60:94-102.

Wojtecki L:
Deep Brain Stimulation in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Klin Neurophysiol, 2014; 45(02): 118-121


Beste C, Mückschel M, Elben S, Hartmann CJ, McIntyre CC, , Saft C, Vesper J, Schnitzler A, Wojtecki L

Behavioral and neurophysiological evidence for the enhancement of cognitive control under dorsal pallidal deep brain stimulation in Huntington’s disease
Brain Struct Funct 2014, DOI 10.1007/s00429-014-0805-x

Skodda S, Groenheit W, Schlegel U, Suedmeyer M, Schnitzler A, Wojtecki L.

Effect of subthalamic stimulation on voice and speech in Parkinson´s disease: for the better or worse?
Front. Neurol. | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2013.00218

Keitel A, Ferrea S, Südmeyer M, Schnitzler A, Wojtecki L

Expectation modulates the Effect of Deep Brain Stimulation on Motor and Cognitive Function in Tremor-Dominant Parkinson’s  disease 

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 2;8(12):e81878

Hirschmann J, Hartmann CJ, Butz M, Hoogenboom N, Özkurt TE, Elben S, Vesper J, Wojtecki L, Schnitzler A
A direct relationship between oscillatory STN-cortex coupling and rest tremor in Parkinson’s disease
Brain. 2013 Dec;136(Pt 12):3659-70. doi: 10.1093/brain/awt271. Epub 2013 Oct 22.

Keitel A*, Wojtecki L*, Hirschmann J, Hartmann CJ, Ferrea S, Südmeyer M, Schnitzler A

*equal contribution

Motor and cognitive placebo-/nocebo-responses in Parkinson´s disease with deep brain stimulation

Behav Brain Res 2013; 250:199-205

Schuepbach WMM, Rau J, Knudsen K, Volkmann J, Krack P, Timmermann L, Hälbig TD, Hesekamp H, Navarro SM, Meier N, Falk, Mehdorn M, Paschen S, Maarouf M, Barbe MT, Fink GR, Kupsch A, Gruber D, Schneider G-H, Seigneure E, Kistner A, Chaynes P, Ory-Magne F,  Brefel Courbon C, Vesper J, Schnitzler A, Wojtecki L, Houeto J-L, Bataille B, Maltête D, Damier P, Raoul S, Sixel-Doering F, Hellwig D, Gharabaghi A, Krüger R, Pinsker MO, Amtage F, Régis J-M, Witjas T, Thobois S, Mertens P,  Kloss M, Hartmann A, Oertel WH, Post B, Speelman H, Agid Y, Schade-Brittinger C, and Deuschl G for the EARLYSTIM Study Group
Neurostimulation for Parkinson's Disease with Early Motor Complications
N Engl J Med 2013; 368:610-622

Wojtecki L, Colosimo C, Fuentes R
Deep brain stimulation for movement disorders – a history of success and challenges to conquer

Front. Integr. Neurosci., 23 February 2012

Skodda S, Schlegel, U, Südmeyer M, Schnitzler A, Wojtecki L
Effects of levodopa and deep brain stimulation on motor speech performance in Parkinson ́s disease.
Basal Ganglia. 2012; 2(1):49-54

Wojtecki L, Elben S, Timmermann L, Reck C, Maarouf M, Jörgens S, Ploner M, Südmeyer M, Groiss S, Sturm V, Niedeggen M, Schnitzler A
Modulation of human time processing by subthalamic deep brain stimulation.

PLoS One. 2011;6(9):e24589.

Witt K, Daniels C, Reiff J, Krack P, Volkmann J, Pinsker MO, Krause M, Tronnier V, Kloss M, Schnitzler A, Wojtecki L, Bötzel K, Danek A, Hilker R, Sturm V, Kupsch A, Karner E, Deuschl G.
Neuropsychological and psychiatric changes after deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: a randomised, multicentre study.

Lancet Neurol. 2008;7(7):605-14.

Wojtecki L, Nickel J, Timmermann L, Maarouf M, Südmeyer M, Schneider F, Seitz RJ, Voges J, Sturm V, Schnitzler A.
Pathological crying induced by deep brain stimulation.
Mov Disord. 2007;22(9):1314-6.

Wojtecki L, Timmermann L, Jörgens S, Südmeyer M , Maarouf, M, Treuer H, Gross J, Lehrke R, Koulousakis A, Voges J, Sturm V, Schnitzler A.
Frequency-dependent reciprocal Modulation of Verbal Fluency and Motor Functions in Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation.

Arch Neurol. 2006;63(9):1273-6

Deuschl G, Schade-Brittinger C, Krack P, Volkmann J, Schafer H, Botzel K, Daniels C, Deutschlander A, Dillmann U, Eisner W, Gruber D, Hamel W, Herzog J, Hilker R, Klebe S, Kloss M, Koy J, Krause M, Kupsch A, Lorenz D, Lorenzl S, Mehdorn HM, Moringlane JR, Oertel W, Pinsker MO, Reichmann H, Reuss A, Schneider GH, Schnitzler A, Steude U, Sturm V, Timmermann L, Tronnier V, Trottenberg T, Wojtecki L, Wolf E, Poewe W, Voges J; German Parkinson Study Group, Neurostimulation Section.
A randomized trial of deep-brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

N Engl J Med. 2006;355(9):896-908.

PubMed

Research Grants:

2018-2019: Hilde Ulrichs Fond for Parkinsonresearch
TMS of the motorcortex to examine neuroplasticity in Parkinson´s Disease

2016-2017:Parkinson Fonds Deutschland. TrainParC-EEG:
EEG correlates of cognitive training in patients with Parkinson´s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI)

2014-2017: ERA-NET NEURON MENTAL DISORDERS
TYMON - Uncertainty monitoring vs. inhibition of action in obsessive-compulsive disorder: role of the subthalamic nucleus and effects of stimulation in humans and rodents

2010-2013: The role of expectation and conditioning for motor and cognitive effects in subthalamic deep brain stimulation of Parkinson´s disease. Subproject of the DFG Research Group (FOR 1328): Expectation and Conditioning as Basic Processes of the Placebo and Nocebo Response. From Neurobiology to Clinical Applications

2010-2011: Influence of Deep Brain Stimulation on Gambling Behaviour in Parkinson´s disease.  Deutsche Parkinson Vereinigung (DPV) , German Parkinson´s Disease Association

2007-2010: Postoperative macroelectrode recordings of the subthalamic nucleus during executive-cognitive tasks in patients with Parkinson´s disease, Forschungskommission, Medical Faculty HHU Düsseldorf