PPMI is empowering us to study Parkinson’ s at its earliest stages.
Younger Participants Allow Study of PD at its Earliest Stages
Imagine a future where your yearly check-up includes not only tests for high cholesterol or diabetes, but also screenings for early signs of brain disease— years before symptoms appear. Thanks to the latest PPMI expansion to people as young as 40, that future is closer than ever before.
In April, PPMI significantly extended its reach by offering additional ways to participate, bringing millennials into the study for the first time. Eligible people age 40 and older without PD and people with PD diagnosed within the last seven years can now enroll at one of 50 clinical sites in 12 countries to undergo tests and share biological samples. Individuals as young as 18 in the United States and United Kingdom can also contribute information about their health online through the myPPMI platform.
PPMI is empowering us to study Parkinson’ s at its earliest stages.
Alyssa O’ Grady
“ By enrolling younger people who may be at risk but don’ t show signs of the disease, PPMI is empowering us to study Parkinson’ s at its earliest stages,” said Alyssa O’ Grady, vice president and head of clinical research at the Foundation.“ That’ s key to learning how the disease unfolds and how we might intervene earlier.”
This expansion builds on a revolutionary breakthrough: In 2023, PPMI data validated the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay( SAA), a test that detects clumps of alpha-synuclein in living people. This test revealed that many people with severe smell loss were found to have a buildup of this Parkinson’ s-related protein, although they had not yet been diagnosed with the disease.
As younger participants with early PD markers join PPMI, scientists will be able to define PD more clearly earlier in the disease journey and accelerate new and improved PD treatments— laying the groundwork for future prevention trials as well, which would test therapies aimed at stopping Parkinson’ s before it starts.
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