Varenicline to reduce falls in Parkinson's patients with low brain cholinergic activity
Reducing falls with Varenicline in Hypocholinergic Parkinson disease
This project gives the medication varenicline to people with Parkinson's who have low brain cholinergic function to try to improve attention and reduce falls.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11205051 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would first get a PET brain scan to confirm low cholinergic (acetylcholine) activity that is linked to attention and walking problems in Parkinson's. If eligible, you'd be enrolled in a blinded trial where you receive either varenicline (an α4β2 nicotinic receptor agonist) or a matching placebo, with regular clinic visits and monitoring. Researchers will measure attention, gait and balance outcomes and track falls over time, along with safety checks for side effects. This work builds on earlier target-engagement studies showing varenicline reaches its brain target and produced favorable effects on gait and attention in PET-confirmed participants.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with Parkinson's disease who have frequent falls or attention-related gait problems and show low cortical cholinergic activity on PET imaging.
Not a fit: People with Parkinson's who do not have cholinergic deficits, who cannot undergo PET scans, or who have medical contraindications to varenicline are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower fall rates and improve attention and walking stability for Parkinson's patients with cholinergic deficits.
How similar studies have performed: Prior small studies showed varenicline binds α4β2 receptors in the brain and produced physiologic improvements in attention and gait, but larger trials proving fall reduction are still needed.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kotagal, Vikas — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Kotagal, Vikas
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.