Investigating cognitive impairment in PD using PET neuroimaging
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the neuroinflammatory basis of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease using PET neuroimaging.
IRAS ID
125391
Contact name
Caroline Williams-Gray
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
Parkinson's disease (PD) typically causes problems such as difficulty walking and tremor. However, many patients also develop dementia, which has a major impact on quality of life and care requirements, but cannot be effectively treated. Dementia in PD is associated with protein deposits called Lewy bodies throughout the brain, but other processes might also be involved in causing cells to die. In particular, inflammation in the brain might play a key role, driven by changes in the immune system. This is important to establish, as it could lead to the development of anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent dementia in PD. This study will investigate whether inflammation is involved in the early stages of PD dementia and how this relates to abnormal protein deposits in the brain. 40 patients with newly-diagnosed PD and 20 healthy volunteers will be involved. Participants will undergo brain scanning using a technique called positron emission tomography (PET) to measure inflammation, and deposits of tau protein. They will also have a blood test, and in some cases a lumbar puncture for collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Markers of inflammation and levels of key proteins will be measured in these blood and CSF samples. We will then continue to follow participants with clinical assessments for up to 10 years, during which time some participants may lose capacity. In this eventuality, a consultee would be appointed to help decide on their continued involvement.
We will investigate the relationship between levels of brain inflammation, abnormal protein aggregation, and dementia risk in PD, and make comparisons with healthy controls. We hope to establish that changes in inflammation and protein aggregation are involved at an early stage in those at high risk of PD dementia, and if so, this will have important implications for developing treatments to prevent this complication of the disease.REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/EE/0445
Date of REC Opinion
23 Dec 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion