Markers and risk factors for early (prodromal) Parkinson's and how it progresses
Official title: Biomarkers and Risk Factors for Prodromal Parkinson's Disease and its Progression
Funded at Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health · NIH-11317223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows people with early signs of Parkinson's to find markers that predict who will go on to develop Parkinson's and how symptoms change over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $643,218 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS126260-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11317223 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with early non-motor signs such as probable REM sleep behavior disorder, reduced sense of smell, or chronic constipation—especially participants already enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study or Health Professionals Follow-up Study—are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who already have a clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or who have no prodromal signs are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would join a large group of nurses and health professionals who were screened for early signs like probable REM sleep behavior disorder and constipation and selected for closer follow-up. The team uses mailed smell tests, repeated questionnaires about sleep, movement, and other non-motor features, and long-term tracking to watch for 'phenoconversion' to clinical Parkinson's. They will extend follow-up of this unique cohort and their source population to monitor progression, collect biomarker and risk-factor data, and define prodromal subtypes. The ultimate aim is to create the knowledge needed to design prevention trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at highest risk earlier and enable targeted prevention trials to slow or prevent Parkinson's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked REM sleep behavior disorder, smell loss, and constipation to higher Parkinson's risk, but large, long-term cohort follow-up to map progression and biomarkers at this scale is less common.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ascherio, Alberto — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Ascherio, Alberto
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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.