Nicole Calakos, MD, PhD
Accepting New Patients
Duke Health Provider question
I enjoy getting to know each person and developing a personalized care plan based on his or her unique needs.
– Nicole Calakos, MD, PhD

Nicole Calakos, MD, PhD

Neurologist, Movement Disorder Specialist

Duke Health Provider question
Accepting New Patients
Call for an Appointment
Where I See Patients
Duke Neurology Morreene Road - Durham, NC
Board Certified
American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology, Neurology
I enjoy getting to know each person and developing a personalized care plan based on his or her unique needs.
– Nicole Calakos, MD, PhD

About Me

I specialize in the care of patients with movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia and tremors, and I’m an associate professor in the department of neurology. I chose to become a physician scientist because I love both the art and the science of medicine. In the clinic, I enjoy getting to know each person and developing a personalized care plan based on his or her unique needs. In the lab, I look for answers to problems my patients face. Outside of work, I enjoy any activity that is outdoors.

Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English, Spanish

Call for an Appointment

Ratings and Reviews

The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.

Overall Provider Rating
4.82 out of 5
60 ratings, 14 reviews

Training and Education

Board Certification
American Board of Psychiatry/Neurology, Neurology
Fellowship
Research Fellowship, Stanford University (California), 2000-2005
Residency
Neurology, University of California–San Francisco Medical Center, 1996-2000
Education
MD, Stanford University School of Medicine (California), 1996
PhD, Neurosciences, Stanford University (California), 1995

Clinical Focus and Research

My Research Interests

My research group studies brain plasticity mechanisms in circuits that cause movement disorders like Parkinson’s Disease. We aim to reveal the mechanisms for basic healthy adaptive plasticity as well as how that process is disrupted in disease. Our current efforts focus on dystonia, Tourette’s and compulsive behaviors as in OCD. We use wide-ranging approaches in the lab including animal models, human genetics and patient-derived tissues to discover new ways to treat these conditions. For more detailed information about our research and how you may contribute, please see: https://www.neuro.duke.edu/research/faculty-labs/calakos-lab

Publications

Insurance Accepted

Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.

    • Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
    • Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
    • Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
    • Aetna HMO
    • Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
    • Aetna Managed Choice POS
    • Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
    • Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
    • Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
    • Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
    • Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
    • Aetna Open Choice PPO
    • Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
    • Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
    • Aetna Select HMO
    • Aetna Traditional Choice
    • Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
    • Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
    • Aetna/CVS Health
    • Ambetter of North Carolina
    • Blue Advantage
    • Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
    • Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
    • Blue Select
    • NC State Employees Health Plan
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.

    • Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
    • Cigna Choice Plus
    • Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
    • Cigna Open Access
    • Cigna Open Access Plus
    • *Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.

    • Duke Basic
    • Duke Select
    • Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
  • Gateway Health Alliance
  • Healthgram
    • Humana Choice (PPO)
    • Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
    • Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
    • Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
    • Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
    • Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
  • MedCost
    • First Medicare Direct
    • Medicare Part A
    • Medicare Part B
    • AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
    • Carolina Complete Health
    • Healthy Blue
    • NC Medicaid Direct
    • WellCare of North Carolina
    • TRICARE Prime
    • TRICARE Prime Remote
    • TRICARE Select
    • AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
    • AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
    • AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
    • All Savers Alternate Funding
    • All Savers Fully Insured
    • United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)
    • United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
    • United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
    • United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
    • United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
    • United Healthcare Option PPO
    • United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
    • United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
    • United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
    • United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
    • United Medical Resources (UMR)
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.

Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.

External Relationships

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies or institutions listed below. This information has been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.
  • BD2 not for profit, Bipolar disease grant reviewer
  • Biological Psychiatry Journal
  • CCXDP at MGH
  • Movement Disorder Society