IronSleep - Neuroimaging és viselkedési biomarkerek a korai stádiumban lévő Parkinson-kór progressziójának és a mögöttes mechanizmusok a vizsgálatában

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with a steadily increasing incidence. PD is caused by abnormal protein and iron deposition, which starts years or decades before the first motor symptoms of the disease appear. Available drug treatments are only symptomatic, i.e. they cannot slow or stop the destruction of nerve cells. Although promising neuroprotective drugs are being developed, their disease-modifying effects are not proven. Indeed, the development of neuroprotective therapies for PD is largely hampered by the fact that by the time the first motor symptoms appear, nerve cell death is already extensive. Reliable identification of PD that has not yet produced clinical symptoms (preclinical and prodromal) is therefore a priority area of research for the development of neuroprotective therapies and for delaying or preventing the development of PD. The present international research aims to develop a procedure based on MRI imaging and electrophysiological methods and clinical features to reliably identify early and preclinical stages and to gain a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease.