North American RBD Consortium for early Parkinson’s, Lewy body dementia, and related disorders
North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy Consortium for RBD, Stage 2 (NAPS2)
This program follows people with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) to track early signs of Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, or multiple system atrophy and to prepare future treatments that could slow or prevent these conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321173 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have RBD, this consortium will enroll you at a participating site and follow you over time with regular clinic visits. Participants undergo standardized neurological and sleep assessments, polysomnography confirmation if needed, and collection of blood and other biofluids for biomarker studies. The program links multiple North American centers to create a larger, harmonized longitudinal dataset and sample bank. The goal is to build the infrastructure and information needed to run clinical trials of neuroprotective therapies in the earliest stages of synuclein-related disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with REM sleep behavior disorder confirmed by polysomnography who are willing to join long-term follow-up at a consortium site are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without RBD or those already diagnosed with advanced Parkinson’s disease, dementia, or multiple system atrophy are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this prodromal-focused program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could enable earlier trials and interventions that slow or prevent progression to Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, or multiple system atrophy.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier NAPS work and other observational cohorts have successfully enrolled RBD patients and collected clinical and biomarker data, but proven neuroprotective treatments in this prodromal stage have not yet been established.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ju, Yo-El S — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Ju, Yo-El S
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.