April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, a time when the Parkinson’s community comes together to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Our new incidence study found that every 6 minutes, someone will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the U.S.

This month, we want everyone to #Take6forPD — take 6 minutes to help us raise Parkinson’s awareness. There are many ways you can raise awareness, such as participating in research, finding expert care or educating your community about PD.

Read on to learn how you can #Take6forPD:

#Take6forPD to Advance Research

In the U.S., 90,000 people will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease this year. Take 6 minutes to help us advance PD research aimed to improve treatments and find a cure.  

• Register to participate in PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease. Our global genetics study offers genetic testing for PD-related genes and genetic counseling at no cost for people with Parkinson’s.
• Watch a Neuro Talk video. Learn about the latest in PD research from PD research experts.
• Join a research study. Explore the different opportunities to get involved with Parkinson’s research.
• Donate to our Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech. Your support helps us invest in new drugs that can deliver life-changing treatments in years, not decades.
• Sign up for an Expert Briefing webinar. Learn more about managing PD symptoms and treatments from PD experts.

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#Take6forPD to Improve Access to Care 

Research shows that seeing a Parkinson’s specialist can lead to better outcomes. Take 6 minutes to help improve access to high-quality PD care. 

• Call our free Helpline. Call 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) to ask a PD question, get a referral or find a nearby exercise class.  
• Find expert care in your area. Enter your zip code to find a medical center near you and your local chapter.  
• Order or download a hospital safety kit. These tools will help you advocate for your best care when hospitalized. 
• Read a PD publication. Browse our free resource library to deep dive into a PD topic that is important to you.
• Register for a PD Health @ Home event. Designed for the PD community, these weekly online events allow you to access at-home resources all year long.

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#Take6forPD to Help Empower & Educate

Finding the right information and resources early in the Parkinson’s journey can make life better for people with PD. Take 6 minutes to feel empowered through educational resources. 

• Join our e-mail list. Be the first to know what’s happening in Parkinson’s research and care. 
• Share our PD infographic on Facebook or Instagram. Help us raise awareness that 90,000 people are diagnosed with PD every year in the U.S.
• Register for an educational or local event. Connect with the PD community, either in-person or virtually.
• Subscribe or listen to our podcast. Substantial Matters: Life and Science of Parkinson’s highlights the treatments, techniques and research that can help you live a better life now.
• Complete our 60 Miles in April Facebook Challenge. Join hundreds of others in taking the challenge to bike, run or walk 60 miles this month to raise awareness for Parkinson’s.

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No matter how you choose to #Take6forPD this month, know that you are making a difference in the lives of people with Parkinson’s.

Take 6 minutes to help create a world without Parkinson’s at Parkinson.org/Awareness. 

“The Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech initiative is a new, much needed way the Parkinson’s Foundation can directly make targeted investments that can have potentially great impact for people with Parkinson’s today,” said James Beck, PhD, Parkinson’s Foundation Chief Scientific Officer.

Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech is the international drug discovery and development program and joint venture/partnership of the Parkinson’s UK and the Parkinson’s Foundation. This groundbreaking global effort is working to spur the development of life-changing new Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatments in years, not decades.

“These investments can exponentially advance the opportunities for new Parkinson’s medications,” said Dr. Beck. “With the support of our community, this new initiative balances our portfolio of research investments. We can now broaden our research to support every type of research from basic science to clinical studies.”

Today, Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech funds 11 new medications and therapies already in research and development stages. Here are the six new drug development programs that energize us:

1.     Project Galaxy: Addressing Inflammation in Parkinson’s

Stage: In Development

This project aims to find a way to stop harmful inflammation from damaging brain cells. Inflammation is a process that is vital for defending the body against harm from things like infection, injuries and toxins. If inflammation is chronically active when it shouldn’t be — which might be the case in PD — it can cause harm to healthy cells.

Key Takeaway: This project looks to uncover a way to reduce inflammation in the brain, in the hope to protect brain cells. This could pave the way for the design of a drug to help slow or stop the condition.

2.     Project Top Hat: Exploring the potential of ondansetron for treating hallucinations in people with PD or Lewy body dementia

Stage: Clinical Trial

It is estimated that around 75% of people with Parkinson’s experience hallucinations during the course of PD. However, current treatment options are limited. The drug used to alleviate nausea after chemotherapy called ondansetron (brand name Zofran) is being tested as a treatment for visual hallucinations in people with PD or Lewy body dementia.

Key Takeaway: This study is a phase 2 clinical trial with 306 people with PD or Lewy body dementia enrolled. With safety data available from ondansetron’s current use in treating sickness, positive results from this study could see this repurposed medication quickly progress to become an available treatment.

3.     Project Sheffield: Optimizing molecules that restore the power plants of brain cells

Stage: In Development

University of Sheffield researchers are developing molecules that can boost the function of mitochondria (the power plants of brain cells). Over the next 12 months, the team will develop and test the drug-like molecules in cells from people with PD. If successful, the molecules will then move forward into testing, before moving into clinical trials in people with Parkinson’s.

Key Takeaway: This research takes important steps toward creating a drug that can protect dopamine-producing brain cells and slow the progression of PD.

4.     Project Pharmaxis: New treatment aims to relieve PD-like symptoms and target inflammation to slow onset

Stage: Clinical Trial

Inflammation is vital for defending the body against harm from things like infection and toxins. Researchers believe that inflammation may be linked to the causes and progression of Parkinson’s. Pharmaxis is investigating whether a drug called PXS-4728 can reduce inflammation in the early stages of Parkinson’s. This study will enroll 40 people who experience the sleep disorder known as isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). As many as 70% of people with iRBD go on to develop Parkinson’s.

Key Takeaway: The hope is this drug might be able to slow the onset of Parkinson’s symptoms in this group of people that are at a high risk of developing the condition. This could help find a way to the slow the progression of Parkinson’s.

5.     Project NRG: Targeting the power plants of brain cells to slow the progression of Parkinson’s (I-1903)

Stage: In Development

NRG Therapeutics Ltd is investigating ways to boost the functioning of mitochondria in Parkinson’s. Mitochondria (the power plants of the cell) play an important role in both sporadic and inherited forms of Parkinson’s. The aim of this project is to identify new molecules that can enter the brain and support the mitochondria.

Key Takeaway: If successful, these protective molecules could provide a safe and effective new treatment that will protect brain cells, slow the progression of Parkinson’s and extend quality of life. In 2022, NRG secured additional funding to progress toward clinical trial.

6.     Project Eurofins: Creating new drugs to improve symptoms and slow Parkinson’s

Stage: In Development

Eurofins, a leading contract research company in the UK, is working to create molecules that can increase activity of a selection of genes. Dialing up the activity of these genes has the potential to increase dopamine production and boost the production of protective proteins to slow or halt the damage and loss of precious brain cells.

Key Takeaway: If successful, this could lay the foundation for research into new treatments that could not only improve Parkinson’s symptoms, but also slow, stop or even reverse the underlying condition.

Learn more about all 11 Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech drugs under research and development right now.  

Parkinson’s Foundation community fundraisers raised a record-breaking $8.3 million to advance Parkinson’s disease (PD) research, access to care and life-changing resources in 2022.

“Each of the 15,905 people with Parkinson’s, family members and friends who helped raise funds in 2022 brought passion and enthusiasm to the entire PD community,” said Kayln Henkel,

Parkinson’s Foundation Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer.

Parkinson’s Champions, Moving Day participants, Revolution riders and volunteers help us fund critical research that brings hope to the one million Americans living with this disease. Meet four fundraisers and volunteers who inspire us:

Amanda Hosts Meaningful Parkinson’s Revolution for Her Dad

“When my dad was first diagnosed, the unknown was the biggest struggle. We worked so hard to make this a big fundraiser — a simple, fun thing for people to join, and it means so much to the people Parkinson’s affects directly.”

KEEP READING

Jim Helps Make First-Ever Moving Day Memphis a Success

“Since I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I’ve developed a whole new group of friends and found supportive people I can talk to any time. Moving Day is a great way to spend time with people in our community.”

KEEP READING

High School Senior Kaden Raises $31,000 for PD Research

“I chose this fundraiser because I wanted to learn more about what my uncle was going through and raise money to help people like him living with Parkinson’s, and to support research for a cure. I never thought a T-shirt could raise this much awareness, and I’m happy I could raise this much money for the Foundation.”

KEEP READING

Moving Day Empowers Samantha to Fight Parkinson’s

“While volunteering at Moving Day packet pick-up, I met someone who was diagnosed a month ago and wasn’t sure where to turn. We were able to introduce him and his wife to other people his age who have Parkinson’s, and I could just see the relief they felt meeting people who understood what they were going through. Those connections are so important and seeing them happen is my favorite part of Moving Day.”

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Chantale Branson, MD, is the first-ever movement disorders specialist — a neurologist with specialized training — to work at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. In addition to treating and helping people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), she is committed to improving the health disparities that Black and African American individuals face in the PD community.

Under Dr. Branson’s direction, Morehouse is the first historically Black institution of medicine to become a PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease research site. Every research site works alongside the Parkinson’s Foundation to offer genetic testing and counseling to people with PD, in English or Spanish, at no cost.

“We have a very diverse group of people who are participating,” Dr. Branson said. “We want to encourage more community members to take part in the study so they can improve their disease management, learn more about potential implications for their family, be connected with relevant PD trials and impact the future development of improved treatments — for themselves and future generations.”

Pioneering Change

To date, Morehouse has enrolled the most Black and African American participants for PD GENEration, which is on its way to reaching its 1,000 participant goal for this demographic.

The global genetics initiative is designed to be inclusive and accessible to populations of focus, which are groups of people in need of increased access to care, resources and research efforts. A common misconception surrounding Parkinson’s is that it only impacts older white men. Black and African American people with Parkinson’s are often:

• Diagnosed at a lower rate than white people with the disease.
• Diagnosed later in disease progression, once symptoms considerably impact day-to-day living.

Dr. Branson has dedicated her career to helping improve these statistics for the Black community over time. “At Morehouse, we work to provide that missing connection between having a provider or physician who represents you, who looks like you, to participate and be involved in your care,” she said.

Before Morehouse, Dr. Branson tirelessly worked to develop the first movement disorders clinic at Grady Hospital — the largest public hospital in Georgia and the tenth largest in the U.S. that provides care to all, including those without healthcare insurance and those with incomes below the federal poverty level.

Acknowledging History to Create Change

Today there are numerous regulations in place set to ensure clinical trials follow ethical practices, but this was not always the case. “Due to the historical issues and in regard to race in the United States, research has not been very common within the community, particularly within different diseases such as the Parkinson’s disease and neurological disorders,” said Dr. Branson.

The notorious Tuskegee study that was reported nearly 50 years ago, where researchers withheld detrimental treatments from hundreds of Black men in Alabama for decades, is still top of mind when it comes to distrust in medicine and research among Black and African Americans.

Dr. Branson also references the story of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951. Tissue samples of her cancerous cells were given to a researcher and shared with others without Henrietta’s knowledge or informed consent — a historical lesson that is now a staple of medical ethics. Known today as HeLa cells, these cells remain a vital tool in disease research due to their ability to endure and replicate in the laboratory.

Openly discussing these and the other historical wrongs of medical and research communities, as well as reminding patients of the safeguards in place that help protect them in research studies are cornerstones for how Dr. Branson practices medicine. “Sometimes patients may have preconceived notions or ideas about the clinical research history within the Black community. Having that conversation about understanding the past in order to discuss the present is very important,” said Dr. Branson.

Diversity is Essential to Finding a Cure

No two people with Parkinson’s are identical, which is why ensuring diversity and inclusivity in Parkinson’s research is critical to accelerating breakthroughs towards a cure. Diversity in research accelerates the rate that researchers can better understand PD and drives better outcomes for the entire PD community.

Populations of focus — including Black and African Americans, Latinos, women and others — are adversely affected by health disparities, underrepresented in, and historically excluded from, research. These populations also receive less care. Because of this, the full impact of the disease within these communities is still unknown. The shared value of helping populations of focus find quality Parkinson’s care is shared by the Parkinson’s Foundation and Morehouse — and presented itself through PD GENEration.

“The partnership aims to make each unit testing and counseling more accessible for Black and African American people with Parkinson’s disease and by doing so we hope to have a significant impact on improving clinical outcomes and increasing research participation,” said Dr. Branson.

Together, the Parkinson’s Foundation and Morehouse formed a two-way partnership. “Working alongside Morehouse has allowed us to tailor and elevate our reach on a local level and ultimately, help us utilize these successes to further our reach on a national scale,” said Amasi Kumeh Director, Research Partnerships at the Parkinson’s Foundation.

PD GENEration at Work

All PD GENEration participants are provided a genetic test and counseling at no cost. Afterward, participants are encouraged to review their results with their PD doctor.

“Everyone has been very excited to participate in this particular study,” said Dr. Branson. “I want to encourage community members to take part in PD GENEration, so they can improve their disease management, learn more about their family’s risk of Parkinson’s disease potentially be connected to clinical trials and impact the development of improved treatments and medication for generations to come.”

In the coming year, the Parkinson’s Foundation will work alongside Morehouse to create new tools for the Black PD community, and host in-person events for the greater Atlanta area and beyond. “Working with Morehouse allows us to better learn how to reach the black and African American community and help make life better for everyone with Parkinson’s and their family members. We hope to utilize everything we learn through this partnership to make inclusivity and diversity a cornerstone to all Foundation research initiatives,” said Amasi.

Learn More

• Parkinson’s Disease and the Black Community: How to Live Better, co-published by BlackDoctor.org and the Parkinson’s Foundation.
• About PD GENEration
• Listen to Neuro Talk: How Does Basic Parkinson’s Research Get Us Closer to a Cure?

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York is the newest Parkinson’s Foundation Research Center. Center Director Zhenyu Yue, PhD, and his research team are investigating the diversity of dopamine nerve cells in the brain and their vulnerability in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Better understanding how different groups of dopamine neurons work, could get us closer to designing more effective therapeutic strategies.

Parkinson’s Foundation Research Centers are medical or academic centers that have the goal of advancing the understanding and treatment of Parkinson's. Each center is currently investigating a minimum of three interconnected PD research studies.

By the time a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, more than 60% of their brain’s dopamine nerve cells (neurons) have already died. This loss continues over time. There are no medications that can preserve the existing dopamine neurons or reverse the disease.

The team of Icahn investigators recently completed a study profiling more than 300,000 cells from a specific region in the brain vulnerable in Parkinson’s. They identified different types of dopamine neurons in human brains, and found that people with PD have significantly fewer dopamine neurons and perhaps other types of neurons compared to those without PD. They have analyzed the changes of gene expression in many different cell types, including those dopamine neurons that persist through many years after the onset of movement symptoms.

With Parkinson’s Foundation funding, the team will now investigate the functions of these different types of dopamine neurons — and how they can lead to better treatments.

“It's an opportunity for us to learn how many different cells are adapted to the disease state. We are so thankful to the Parkinson’s Foundation for seeing how the potential of this work can lead to new findings.”

- Dr. Yue

Icahn scientists will do a deeper dive into the diversity of dopamine nerve cells. Being able to uncover the nuances of the different types of these nerve cells is essential for the development of new PD medications. In addition, Dr. Yue’s team is working to find what leads to the loss of dopamine neurons as PD progresses, and identify ways to help neurons survive, which can ultimately lead to better quality of life for people with PD.

Dr. Yue, who has dedicated nearly 20 years of his research career to the study of neurodegenerative diseases, says that several circumstances aligned to draw him into the field, including the diagnosis of a family member with PD.

“I thought I could do something to help people,” Dr. Yue said. His postdoctoral training opened the door to the possibilities of transgenic rodent technology — an approach that allows scientists to study human disease and explore therapies in mice. Icahn researchers will continue using this approach and new technology of single cell profiling to better understand dopamine neuron diversity.

Dr. Yue is a faculty member of the Friedman Brain Institute, under the leadership of Dr. Eric Nestler. He was recruited into the PD research field in 2004 by renowned PD doctor and researcher, C. Warren Olanow, MD (Chairman Emeritus at Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s neurology department). Dr. Olanow encouraged Dr. Yue to investigate Parkinson's. Around the same time, scientists discovered the association between mutations in the LRRK2 gene and Parkinson’s disease. Genetic mutations in the LRRK2 gene play a role in about 1% of all people with PD and 5% of those with a family history. Dr. Yue’s laboratory was among the first to develop an important LRRK2 PD model.

Today, Dr. Yue and his colleagues are studying another gene associated with the risk of Parkinson's. “We have known for a long time that dopaminergic neurons degenerate in Parkinson's disease, but we also found degeneration of a unique neuron population during our initial study,” Dr. Yue said. These neurons are enriched with RIT2 — the product of a gene mutation associated with Parkinson risk. A member of Dr. Yue’s team will explore the relationship between the RIT2 neuron population and PD.

The PD research conducted in Dr. Yue’s lab is essential to explain molecular basis for vulnerability and resilience of human dopamine neurons in PD. Research Centers further the Parkinson’s Foundation mission to advance the understanding and treatment of the disease. Centers receive $2 million each — $500,000 annually over four years — to fund innovative team science. Prestigious Parkinson’s Foundation Research Centers include:

• Icahn School of Medicine
• Columbia University Medical Center
• University of Florida in collaboration with Emory University
• University of Michigan in collaboration with The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• Yale School of Medicine

Of receiving the Research Center designation, Dr. Yue said: “I feel privileged to have received this award for our Center, as it offers an amazing opportunity to work with a group of outstanding clinical and basic research scientists at Mount Sinai. This award will encourage me to think boldly and attack challenging questions in PD research through collaboration with a diverse team with complementary expertise.”

Learn more about the critical ongoing Parkinson’s Foundation research initiatives and find out how you can participate in Parkinson’s research today in our Join A Study page.

Genetics is a key step in solving Parkinson’s disease (PD). Understanding how and why Parkinson’s and genetics fit together is a mystery the Parkinson’s Foundation is looking to solve through our landmark study, PD GENEration: Mapping the Future of Parkinson’s Disease. The Parkinson’s Foundation is excited to announce that we are accelerating the path to solving the puzzle of genetics and Parkinson’s through reaching a significant study milestone of providing genetic testing and counseling to 7,500 participants — 12 months ahead of the study recruitment timeline.

“Ensuring that the entire Parkinson’s community — including the 90,000 individuals expected to receive a PD diagnosis this year — has access to their genetic status is as critical as ever,” said James Beck, PhD, chief scientific officer for the Parkinson’s Foundation. “Every PD GENEration participant plays a part not only in their own personal discovery but also in feeding results to researchers which will advance future research.”

Halfway to its goal, the study is on track to provide genetic testing and counseling at no cost to 15,000 people with Parkinson’s, which will establish the largest Parkinson’s genomic dataset in North America.

“I cannot underscore enough how relevant this landmark study is. Our current and rapidly expanding knowledge of this complex disease highly suggests that the likely ‘first cure’ to be discovered will be specific to a genetic mutation for PD, which will then serve as a stepping stone for the ultimate cure for the general PD population,” said Hubert Fernandez, MD, Head of Movement Disorders at Cleveland Clinic and co-chair of the Parkinson Study Group.

In 2022, we expanded the study and made access to genetic testing possible for people with Parkinson’s in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Canada. In the next two years, we will introduce PD GENEration to Israel and other countries, bringing a new level of diversity and depth to Parkinson’s genetic research, which can lead to greater insights. So far, 22% of participants represent historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups.

The study continues to expand its reach with the addition of testing sites and collaborations with clinicians in historically excluded communities. This includes a partnership with Morehouse School of Medicine, to make the study more accessible for Black and African American persons in Atlanta, GA. Similarly, the Foundation extensively engages Hispanics and Latinos and provides genetic counseling in English and Spanish, a first of its kind for a study of this scale. Roughly 11% of Latino and Hispanic participants have a 17% genetic link to PD.

“Through the expansion of the PD GENEration study to more populations, we are bringing diversity to genetics data. In turn, this will accelerate the pace of research to help all people with Parkinson’s, regardless of where they live.”     — Carlos Singer, MD, professor of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

The study’s data are analyzed in real-time by the Parkinson’s Disease Gene Curation Expert Panel (GCEP), an international working group of genetic experts focused on neurodegenerative diseases formed by the Foundation within the NIH-funded Clinical Genome (ClinGen) Resources. Alongside the Parkinson's Foundation, Roy Alcalay, MD, leads the study as principal investigator.

Currently, investigators have found that 14% of participants have a genetic form of PD — a significant observation compared to the long-standing estimate of 10%.

PD GENEration empowers participants to understand their genetic results. This knowledge can help them make more informed decisions about care and take advantage of clinical studies that are newly accessible to them. Genetics can not only help us uncover potential causes of Parkinson’s, but results from this study can lead to improved treatments and care for everyone with Parkinson’s.

Enroll and help us further PD genetics research at Parkinson.org/PDGENEration.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the fastest growing neurological disease in the world. Currently, there is no single test or biomarker that can diagnose PD or monitor disease progression. However, a new study utilizing artificial intelligence may change the way we track Parkinson’s.

A lot like a warning system, a biomarker (short for biological marker) is used to help measure what is going on in the body. For example, the A1C blood test can help detect prediabetes. Early detection, treatment and expert care is vital to maintaining quality of life.

The challenge, so far, has been the lack of biomarkers for early PD diagnosis. Usually, PD is only diagnosed years after early signs appear— when movement symptoms (such as tremor, rigidity, and difficulty walking) are present. However, a new study may have found an early biomarker for PD.

In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Nature Medicine, “Artificial intelligence-enabled detection and assessment of Parkinson's disease using nocturnal breathing signals” (Yang et al., 2022), the authors developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled system that could reliably:

1. Wirelessly identify people who have PD from their breathing patterns during sleep
2. Accurately assess people’s PD disease severity
3. Track PD progression over time

Study authors point out that the relationship between Parkinson’s disease and breathing is documented in various studies. Further, the authors note that this breathing link has been reinforced by more recent PD studies that go a step further, reporting that degeneration in the brainstem helps control breathing, issues of respiratory muscle weakness, and sleep breathing disorders. According to the study, “Since breathing and sleep are impacted early in the development of PD, we anticipate that our AI model can potentially recognize individuals with PD before their actual diagnosis” (Yang et al., 2022, p. 2207).

Artificial intelligence is a highly sophisticated technological tool that mimics human-like thinking to analyze enormous amounts of data, find patterns, make predictions and recommendations. Researchers designed an AI-based system for detecting PD, predicting its severity, and tracking disease progression over time using nocturnal breathing. The system can take the breathing input signals in two different ways:

1. Using a breathing belt placed in the person’s chest or abdomen, or
2. Using a Wi-Fi-like router that sends a low radio signal placed somewhere in the room. The signals transmitted are reflected off the person’s body and further analyzed.

Regardless of the signal source (belt or radio waves), once collected, the AI-based model processes the signals using a neural network. This network uses a series of instructions, called algorithms, that tells a computer how to transform the enormous amounts of data into useful information. Importantly, the person’s breathing patterns are automatically fed to the neural network to assess their PD status and its severity. No state-of-the-art equipment is required, and no special training is needed for the person with PD or caregiver.

To test their AI technology, researchers used a large and diverse dataset that included data from 11,964 nights of sleep with more than 120,000 hours of nighttime breathing among 757 people with PD and 6,914 control subjects (people without Parkinson’s). They sought to determine whether the AI diagnostic findings (from both belt and radio wave users) could compare to standard PD tests, such as the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). PD diagnosis was evaluated using: 1) diagnosis made by a clinician using the MDS-UPDRS PD rating scale, 2) the AI model developed by the authors.

Results

The AI system can:

• Predict the presence or development of PD with 90% accuracy
• Track PD progression and estimate PD severity as well as the MDS-UPDRS (PD rating scale used by doctors)
• Provide an objective, non-invasive, at-home assessment of PD while a person is asleep, without touching the body
• Combine measurements from multiple nights to achieve optimal test accuracy
• Provide nightly and weekly measurements in a person’s home, that tests such as the MDS-UPDRS would not be able to capture
• Eventually be deployed in the homes of individuals at high risk for PD (e.g., those with the LRKK2 gene mutation) to passively monitor their status and provide feedback to their provider

What does this mean?

With impressive accuracy, this AI system was able to successfully detect, assess and track disease severity of PD in a home setting by extracting breathing from either a wearable belt or from radio waves that bounce off a person's body while they sleep.

This AI model also provided initial evidence that a touchless, non-invasive system may be a useful biomarker for early detection or risk of PD. Further, according to the study authors, this method is low-cost, and would bring accessibility to PD care to people who live in rural areas not near medical centers that specialize in PD care. The system could be mailed to the person’s home, used for a few nights, and returned for evaluation.

Learn More

The Parkinson’s Foundation believes in empowering the Parkinson’s community through education. Learn more about PD and the latest in Parkinson’s research at Parkinson.org/Research, or by calling our free Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636) for answers to your Parkinson’s questions.

• Join A Study: Explore the different opportunities to get involved with Parkinson’s research.
• Science News series: Learn more about studies like this going on in the PD research field.

The Parkinson’s Foundation is proud to invest in research initiatives that aim to improve our understanding of Parkinson’s disease (PD), work toward new treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

Two of our current researchers are investigating what happens when a protein integral to the development of Parkinson’s — called alpha-synuclein — begins to accumulate in the brain, and whether this early accumulation can lead to earlier diagnosis of Parkinson’s. Both studies could lead to important breakthroughs in diagnosing PD and understanding how PD develops and progresses.

Sarah Shahmoradian, PhD: Learning About Early-Stage Accumulation of Alpha-Synuclein in the Parkinson’s Brain

Sarah Shahmoradian, PhD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, received a Parkinson’s Foundation Stanley Fahn Junior Faculty Award to study early-stage build-up of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain.

In Parkinson’s, the alpha-synuclein protein misfolds into an abnormal shape, causing the protein to clump together. These protein deposits have been linked to the loss of brain cells. In addition, alpha-synuclein deposits have been correlated with cognitive decline in PD.

Prior research has largely focused on the late stages of alpha-synuclein accumulation. However, much is still not known about the critical early events that cause a single abnormal alpha-synuclein molecule to recruit and transform additional molecules to become toxic. This leads to build-up and spreading to other brain cells.

Dr. Shahmoradian will apply state-of-the-art, high-resolution imaging techniques to uncover the molecular structure of alpha-synuclein within the brain cells, and to study how alpha-synuclein contributes to the disease process in Parkinson’s. This research will define where and how alpha-synuclein buildup first occurs within human brain cells.

Giovanni Bellomo, PhD: Creating A Diagnostic Test Could Detect Parkinson’s Earlier

Giovanni Bellomo, PhD, of the University of Perugia in Italy, received a Parkinson’s Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship for Basic Scientists to improve the usefulness of a group of testing techniques called seed amplification assays (SAAs) in the early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Currently, there is no single test to diagnose PD, and movement disorders specialists often rely on the presence of movement symptoms to make a diagnosis. However, by the time someone with PD shows symptoms, the disease is already past its early phase. Early detection would allow earlier disease-modifying treatment, which could potentially benefit people with Parkinson’s.

One of the earliest known changes that occurs in brains affected with PD is the emergence of alpha-synuclein deposits. Tests like the seed amplification assays are used to detect a biomarker (a biological molecule that is a sign of disease). Having a biomarker for Parkinson’s could lead to earlier diagnosis and can improve outcomes for people living with PD.

Seed amplification assays have been successfully used to detect alpha-synuclein pathological changes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of people with Parkinson’s. However, several factors limit their use in clinical practice. To overcome the existing limitations, Dr. Bellomo will study whether the olfactory mucosa (i.e., nasal cells) can be used in SAAs. Collecting these samples is easily achieved by using a swab to scrape small amounts of olfactory mucosa from inside the nose. This non-intrusive test would represent a breakthrough in Parkinson's diagnosis, as no such test currently exists.

Second, Dr. Bellomo also aims to improve current CSF SAAs by making them capable of estimating the amount of disease-causing alpha-synuclein present in CSF samples. This is a key step toward testing treatments against pathological forms of alpha-synuclein.

Meet more Parkinson’s researchers! Explore our My PD Stories featuring PD researchers.