Contact Information

Mass General Brigham Small Fiber and Autonomic Neurology Program

Mass General Brigham autonomic testing laboratories are found at the following locations.

Massachusetts General Hospital
Phone: 617-726-3644 | Fax: 617-726-2958

Boston Location:
The Neuromuscular Diagnostic Center
165 Cambridge Street, 8th floor (Suite 820)
Boston, MA 02114

Waltham Location:
Mass General Brigham Healthcare Center (Waltham), Specialties
52 Second Avenue
Suite 300
Waltham, MA 02451

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital
Phone: 617-983-7160 | Fax: 617-983-7195

1153 Centre Street, Suite 4970
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital
Phone: 603-749-0913 (Option 5, then Option 3 to get directly to our office) | Fax: 603-749-0973

Coastal Neurology Services
10 Members Way
Dover, NH 03820

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Outpatient Center
121 Corporate Drive (Building C)
Portsmouth, NH 03801

Explore This Procedure

Overview

In addition to evaluation and management services, the Mass General Brigham Small Fiber and Autonomic Neurology Program offers comprehensive autonomic reflex testing, often referred to as “Autonomic Function Testing” (AFTs). These tests may help your doctor to determine whether the autonomic nerves are functioning like they should.

Mass General Brigham currently has three Autonomic Laboratories devoted to testing the autonomic nervous system: Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital (BWFH), and Wentworth-Douglass Hospital (WDH).

AFTs can be ordered within Epic (type “AFTs”), or your physician can fax an order to 617-726-2019 (MGH), 617-983-7195 (Faulkner), or 603-749-0973 (WDH).

A typical autonomic reflex battery may include the following components:

  • Screening tests that measure heart rate and blood pressure during tasks such as deep breathing, Valsalva maneuver, and head-up tilt test
  • Sweat testing

Additional testing that may be helpful include the following:

  • Skin biopsies to allow for quantification of nerve fiber density and for identification of underlying pathology
  • Continuous cerebral blood flow and exhaled carbon dioxide recordings during the tilt test, which can help sometimes in establishing a cause of dizziness.
  • Ice-water immersion.

Other diagnostic tests may be recommended by your team:

  • Genetic testing, neuronal autoimmune profiles, and other specialized tests if certain autonomic disorders are suspected.
  • Nerve conduction studies with electromyography, nerve ultrasound, or brain, nerve, or spinal imaging, if large nerve fibers or the brain could be involved.

Please note: patients will NOT receive a consultation from a provider during the autonomic testing appointment. Autonomic testing is a procedure performed by trained technicians. Results of the test are interpreted by an autonomic specialist. These results and the interpretation will then be sent to the ordering provider or referring physician. 

Patient Instructions

Please be sure to carefully review all the Instructions for Autonomic Testing, which will also be sent to you by mail or through the Patient Gateway.

You may need to review these instructions with the ordering physician or provider and ask them questions, so give yourself plenty of time. Please be sure to read these instructions as soon as you receive them, after your appointment is made. It may be beneficial to stop certain medications, after discussing this with the referring provider.

***NEVER stop any of your regularly prescribed medications without consulting with your doctor***