Blood and spinal fluid testing for early signs of REM sleep behavior disorder and related Parkinsonian and Lewy body diseases
NAPS2 Biofluid Core
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · NIH-11321177
This project collects blood and spinal fluid to look for early biological signs in people with REM sleep behavior disorder who may later develop Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, or multiple system atrophy.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SAINT LOUIS, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11321177 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you have REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), the team will collect blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples over time and store them in a central repository. Labs at the Biofluid Core will run established tests like neurofilament light chain, total tau, Aβ40/42, phosphorylated tau, and total and oligomeric alpha‑synuclein. They will also try newer methods such as protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) to detect misfolded alpha‑synuclein. The goal is to compare changes over time and identify markers that predict who will develop Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, or multiple system atrophy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with REM sleep behavior disorder who are willing to provide serial blood draws and lumbar punctures at participating sites.
Not a fit: People without RBD or those with long‑standing, already established neurodegenerative diagnoses are unlikely to benefit from the early‑marker focus of this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could provide biological tests that detect disease risk earlier and make future clinical trials faster and more targeted.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has shown promising signals for CSF and blood markers including alpha‑synuclein seeding assays and neurofilament light chain, but broader validation and comparison of assays is still needed.
Where this research is happening
SAINT LOUIS, UNITED STATES
- WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY — SAINT LOUIS, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KOTZBAUER, PAUL T — WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: KOTZBAUER, PAUL T
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.