Prof. Dr. med. Reinhard Dengler

Prof. Dr. med. Reinhard Dengler is an internationally recognized neurologist with particular expertise in clinical neurophysiology, neuromuscular disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and central movement disorders. As the longstanding Director of the Department of Neurology at Hannover Medical School (MHH), he played a major role in shaping neurological patient care, research, and academic teaching in Hannover for more than two decades.

Today, Prof. Dengler serves as Senior Consultant in Neurology at the INI – International Neuroscience Institute®, where he regularly conducts specialized neurological consultations. His principal clinical interests include disorders of the peripheral nervous system and muscles, including motor neuron diseases such as ALS, as well as central movement disorders such as Parkinsonian syndromes and dystonia. Another major area of expertise is clinical neurophysiological diagnostics.

Prof. Dengler studied medicine at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the Technical University of Munich. His doctoral thesis focused on the pharmacological treatment of spastic paralysis.

Following his medical studies, he served as a military physician at the Department of Neurology and Psychiatry of the German Armed Forces Central Hospital in Koblenz. In 1977, he completed a postdoctoral research year at the Institute of Physiology of the Technical University of Munich, conducting experimental studies of various muscle disorders.

From 1978 onward, Prof. Dengler completed his specialist training in neurology and clinical neurophysiology at the Department of Neurology of the Technical University of Munich. He was subsequently appointed senior physician and completed his habilitation in neurology with scientific work focusing on brainstem reflexes and neurophysiological mechanisms.

In 1986, he undertook a research fellowship supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) at the Institute of Physiology of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. His research there focused on the physiology of human nerve and muscle.

In September 1989, Prof. Dengler was appointed Professor of Neurology at the University of Bonn, where he served as Deputy Director of the Department of Neurology and headed the Laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology and the physiotherapy service.

From December 1992 until September 2015, Prof. Dengler served as Professor of Neurology at Hannover Medical School (MHH) and Director of the Department of Neurology. Under his leadership, the department was developed into a modern university neurological center offering a comprehensive range of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

During this period, several major clinical and scientific programs were established and expanded, including research and treatment programs in multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinsonian syndromes and dystonia, and neuromuscular disorders. Prof. Dengler also played a central role in organizing neurological teaching at Hannover Medical School and was extensively involved in the education of medical students and generations of young neurologists.

His principal scientific interests include neuromuscular disorders including ALS, central movement disorders, and experimental and clinical neurophysiology. Until 2016, he served as a Principal Investigator within the DFG Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All.

Prof. Dengler has authored more than 300 scientific publications. He has also served in senior editorial roles for several scientific journals, including membership of the editorial boards of Muscle & Nerve and Clinical Neurophysiology. He previously served as Associate Editor of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and as Editor of Klinische Neurophysiologie.

Prof. Dengler is a board-certified neurologist and holds an additional qualification in clinical geriatrics. He also holds certifications from the German Society for Clinical Neurophysiology and Functional Imaging in electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and evoked potentials (EP).

For his scientific work, Prof. Dengler has received numerous national and international honors and awards, including the Richard Jung Award of the German Society for Clinical Neurophysiology, the Prix Théophile Gluge of the Belgian Royal Academy, and the Robert Schwab Award. He is also a Foreign Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and an Honorary Member of the German Society for Clinical Neurophysiology.

Prof. Dengler is a member of numerous national and international professional societies, including the German Society of Neurology (DGN), the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the German Society for Clinical Neurophysiology and Functional Imaging (DGKN), the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM), and the German Muscular Dystrophy Association (DGM). He has also held senior responsibilities within the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN).

His work at the INI combines decades of clinical experience, highly specialized neurophysiological diagnostics, and internationally recognized scientific expertise. In particular, patients with complex neuromuscular disorders, ALS, and movement disorders benefit from his extensive expertise in differentiated neurological assessment and individualized treatment.