North American REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) Consortium - NAPS2
North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy Consortium for RBD, Stage 2 (NAPS2)
This program follows people with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) to find early signs of Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and related 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-11518821 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I would join a long-term, multi-site program that follows people with polysomnogram-confirmed REM sleep behavior disorder to watch for early neurologic and cognitive changes. Clinics will use standardized exams, cognitive and motor testing, sleep studies, and collect blood and other biofluids at regular visits. The consortium links sites across North America to share data and samples so researchers can develop earlier detection methods and set up neuroprotective treatment trials. Participation may include periodic clinic visits, sleep testing, and allowing samples to be stored for future research.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with polysomnogram-confirmed RBD who can attend follow-up visits and are willing to provide medical samples and testing data.
Not a fit: People without RBD or those already diagnosed with advanced Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, or multiple system atrophy are unlikely to gain direct benefit from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could help detect Lewy body disorders earlier and make people eligible for treatments that slow disease progression.
How similar studies have performed: Previous NAPS work and other RBD cohorts have shown many people with RBD later develop synucleinopathies, so this expands on established findings to better enable prevention trials.
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.