Gut–brain communication in Parkinson's disease
A Consortium for Gut-Brain Communication in Parkinson's Disease
This project enrolls people with and without Parkinson's to collect detailed gut and brain information to learn how gut problems and Parkinson's symptoms are connected.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11369020 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a registry where people with Parkinson's (at different stages) and healthy volunteers provide detailed clinical information about movement and gastrointestinal symptoms. The study collects physiology tests of gut motility and other standardized measures across sites. Researchers combine and analyze the whole registry to look for patterns linking Parkinson's dysfunction and gut function. The consortium aims to harmonize methods so results from many patients can be compared and used together.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at any stage, including those with and without gastrointestinal symptoms, and healthy adults matched by age and sex for comparison.
Not a fit: People without Parkinson's who are unwilling or unable to undergo GI testing or travel to participating sites are unlikely to benefit directly from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal gut-based markers or targets that help diagnose Parkinson's earlier or guide new treatments for digestive and motor symptoms.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies have shown links between gut function and Parkinson's, but this larger, coordinated registry approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuo, Braden — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kuo, Braden
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.