White matter microstructural biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
White Matter Microstructural biomArkers in Prodromal Parkinson’s disease (White Matter MAPP)
IRAS ID
258800
Contact name
Michal Rolinski
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
By the time the core motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) emerge and the diagnosis is made, the disease has been present for many years. Starting treatment earlier, in the so-called prodromal stages before the core symptoms emerge, would increase the numbers of potentially salvageable neurons and prevent symptoms, rather than treating them. For this to be possible, means of diagnosing and tracking the progression of the prodromal disease must be developed. \nRapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is characterised by vivid dreams and loss of normal muscle paralysis usually seen during this stage in the sleep cycle. Over time, almost all patients with RBD develop one of the neurodegenerative disorders from a family known as alpha-synucleinopathies; most patients being diagnosed with PD. Therefore, RBD gives us an unprecedented opportunity to study prodromal PD. \nIn this study, the research team will recruit a unique cohort of patients across the spectrum of the disease, including subjects with PD and RBD, and healthy controls. They will use state of the art brain imaging facilities at Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) to map and study the earlies signs of nerve damage across the stages of PD. We hope this will shed new light on our understanding of the link between RBD and PD, and help us to develop an imaging biomarker to diagnose and track the progression of prodromal PD in a large cohort of patients.
REC name
Wales REC 3
REC reference
19/WA/0258
Date of REC Opinion
1 Oct 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion