Protein aggregation and brain changes in Parkinson’s-related dementia

Who could benefit from this research

What this research studies

This project will study brain tissue from autopsies of people with Parkinson’s disease who had dementia to map where alpha-synuclein, amyloid beta, and tau accumulate and how this relates to nerve cell loss and brain region connections. Using postmortem analysis, researchers will quantify pathological proteins and assess loss of synapses and projections from key brain circuits. The goal is to connect these biological changes with cognitive and behavioral symptoms observed before death and with gait changes tracked in longitudinal studies. The work relies on samples from a longitudinal PD cohort, linking clinical data with tissue measurements.

Why it matters

Where this research is happening

• Washington University
  Saint Louis, United States Active

Researchers

• Principal investigator: Kotzbauer, Paul T — Washington University
• Study coordinator: Kotzbauer, Paul T

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About this research

1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.