Targeting the brain changes that cause depression in Parkinson's

Who could benefit from this research

What this research studies

If you join, you would get a PET scan that measures synaptic density and an fMRI that shows how brain areas connect. The team will compare people with Parkinson's and depression, people with Parkinson's without depression, people with major depression, and healthy volunteers to find what is unique to depression in Parkinson's. These imaging findings will point to specific brain circuits and synaptic losses that could be targeted by new treatments. The goal is to move from imaging discoveries to interventions that better treat depression in Parkinson's.

Why it matters

Where this research is happening

• Yale University
  New Haven, United States Active

Researchers

• Principal investigator: Holmes, Sophie — Yale University
• Study coordinator: Holmes, Sophie

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

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• Investigating how ketamine affects depression and brain changes in Veterans with Parkinson's disease

  This study is looking at how ketamine might help improve mood and brain flexibility in Veterans with Parkinson's disease who are dealing with depression, and it aims to find better ways to treat their symptoms.

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• Gut-brain clues in Parkinson’s disease: supplement to a large registry

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• Gut-brain connections in Parkinson’s disease: how the gut and environment shape symptoms

  A Mayo Clinic team is studying how gut problems, environmental factors, and genetics together influence Parkinson’s disease and its GI symptoms to find biomarkers and better understanding of the disease.

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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.