Tuesday 30 January 2018

Seeing the future

We are proud to announce another research paper from the Predict-PD stable. We have published our data from the imaging substudy of the first phase of our research.

50 individuals who had gone through the website had a scan showing dopamine-releasing areas in the brain (known as a DAT-SPECT or DATSCAN) and transcranial ultrasound. The DATSCAN is the closest we have to a scan that gives proof of Parkinson’s in the brain. Ultrasound shows an area in the region most affected by Parkinson’s that is brighter in people with Parkinson’s compared to healthy people.

Our findings show that the reductions in the dopamine scan were correlated with risk scores, worse movement scores both on clinical assessment and using the keyboard tapping test, and worse sense of smell. The ultrasound scan also correlated with risk score and motor score on clinical assessment.

These findings show that the risk score calculated from the responses on the website are associated with changes on brain scans that are associated with established Parkinson’s. This is exciting news, not just for us, but it has established that there are hard changes in the brains of those at the highest risk that are very likely to be the earliest signs of Parkinson’s. These scans may well be used to prove eligibility for people to be included  in future drug trials to slow, stop or prevent the diagnosis.

What are the next steps? I’ll be repeating this on a larger sample, and not just using DATSCAN and ultrasound but MRI too, which will give a highly detailed map of the strucutre of the brain. I look forward to sharing these results with you in the next few years.

RNR


Dopamine reuptake transporter–single-photon emission computed tomography and transcranial sonography as imaging markers of prediagnostic Parkinson's disease
Authors
Alastair J. Noyce MRCP, PhD, John Dickson PhD, Richard N. Rees MRCP, Jonathan P. Bestwick MSc, Ioannis U. Isaias MD, PhD, Marios Politis MD, PhD, Gavin Giovannoni FRCP, PhD, Thomas T. Warner FRCP, PhD, Andrew J. Lees FRCP, MD, Anette Schrag FRCP, PhD

  • First published: 30 January 2018


ABSTRACT
Objective: The objective of this study was to examine whether prediagnostic features of Parkinson's disease (PD) were associated with changes in dopamine reuptake transporter–single-photon emission computed tomography and transcranial sonography.
Methods: Prediagnostic features of PD (risk estimates, University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test, Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Questionnaire, and finger-tapping scores) were assessed in a large cohort of older U.K. residents. A total of 46 participants were included in analyses of prediagnostic features and MDS-UPDRS scores with the striatal binding ratio on dopamine reuptake transporter–single-photon emission computed tomography and nigral hyperechogenicity on transcranial sonography.
Results: The striatal binding ratio was associated with PD risk estimates (P = .040), University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (P = .002), Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Questionnaire scores (P = .024), tapping speed (P = .024), and MDS-UPDRS motor scores (P = .009). Remotely collected assessments explained 26% of variation in the striatal binding ratio. The inclusion of MDS-UPDRS motor scores did not explain additional variance. The size of the nigral echogenic area on transcranial sonography was associated with risk estimates (P < .001) and MDS-UPDRS scores (P = .03) only.
Conclusions: The dopamine reuptake transporter–single-photon emission computed tomography results correlated with motor and nonmotor features of prediagnostic PD, supporting its potential use as a marker in the prodromal phase of PD. Transcranial sonography results also correlated with risk scores and motor signs.


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