Memory problems and seeing things in Parkinson's disease
Official title: Visual hallucinations and memory impairment in Parkinson's Disease: The role of hippocampal networks
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11135442 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether changes in the hippocampus explain memory loss and visual hallucinations in people with Parkinson's disease by following them over time with tests and brain scans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $621,339 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH123552-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11135442 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, particularly those experiencing memory changes or visual hallucinations and who can undergo MRI and repeated visits, would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without Parkinson's disease or those unable to have MRI scans or attend follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit from participating.
What this research studies
If you join, you would complete detailed memory and thinking tests and have high-resolution brain imaging focused on the hippocampus, with visits repeated over several years. Researchers will look at activity in specific hippocampal subregions to see if higher activity predicts worsening thinking or more hallucinations. The work combines careful clinical exams, cognitive testing, and advanced MRI scans to track changes over time. Findings aim to link brain changes to real-world memory problems and hallucinations in Parkinson's disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain signals that predict who will develop worse memory or hallucinations, enabling earlier monitoring or targeted therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked hippocampal problems to memory loss and hallucinations, but applying high-resolution hippocampal subregion imaging longitudinally in Parkinson's is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bakker, Arnold — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Bakker, Arnold
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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.