Approximately a quarter of individuals who had biological signs of Alzheimer’ s also tested positive for the protein associated with Parkinson’ s. The findings confirmed that the two diseases have more in common biologically than previously known.
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with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. They found that approximately a quarter of individuals who had biological signs of Alzheimer’ s also tested positive for the protein associated with Parkinson’ s. The findings confirmed that the two diseases have more in common biologically than previously known. They also laid the groundwork for understanding why some people diagnosed with Parkinson’ s experience primarily motor symptoms, while others experience primarily cognitive symptoms.
The Future of Mixed Pathologies
To learn more, MJFF is now working to leverage the vast trove of banked biosamples collected by the Parkinson’ s Progression Markers Initiative to further investigate the questions presented by mixed pathologies. For example, what do the Alzheimer’ s-associated beta-amyloid, tau and pTau proteins tell us about mixed pathology in individuals with Parkinson’ s, and what do they mean for disease prognosis and personalized treatment approaches? As the work expands, it promises to reveal clues about how different biomarkers of neurodegeneration link to the myriad ways that Parkinson’ s presents in different people.
(“ If you’ ve met one person with Parkinson’ s, you’ ve met one person with Parkinson’ s,” as the saying goes.) As a result, our understanding
Approximately a quarter of individuals who had biological signs of Alzheimer’ s also tested positive for the protein associated with Parkinson’ s. The findings confirmed that the two diseases have more in common biologically than previously known.
of both the disease will increase, which will improve our underdstanding of both Parkinson’ s and clinical trials by enrolling people whose biology matches the drug target.
“ Through a concerted approach to mixed pathologies, MJFF is helping build a new baseline understanding of the interplay across neurodegenerative diseases,” said Mark Frasier, PhD, chief scientist at MJFF.“ The approach could open entirely new avenues to effective treatments— tailored not to siloed diagnoses of the past but to the individual biology underpinning disease in each patient.”
Joe Nocera, an award-winning journalist and podcaster, is the deputy managing editor of The Free Press. He has previously been a columnist for The New York Times and Bloomberg Opinion. He has been following and writing about MJFF’ s impact on Parkinson’ s since 2008.