Parkinson's Research Clinic

In the Parkinson’s Research Clinic, we see people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), as well as individuals who have a condition called REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD) which increases their risk of developing PD. The aim of the clinic is to collect detailed information about symptoms and problems associated with the disease, and measure progression over time. We invite people to take part if they have been recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s, or if they have a diagnosis of RBD confirmed on a sleep study. Visits generally last for around 2 hours and involve a session with a neurologist and a session with a neuropsychologist. Participants complete questionnaires and clinical assessments as well as tests of memory and thinking. We invite participants to come back for a follow-up visit every 18 months to 2 years. Through detailed assessments in large numbers of people over time, we are developing a much clearer picture of the clinical variability in the condition, and the factors that predict differences in progression over time. In addition to collecting clinical measures, we collect biosamples (blood, nasal swabs and saliva) to look at genetic, metabolic and immune factors which might be contributing to differences in rates of disease development and progression between individuals. Our Parkinson’s Research Clinic provides the gateway to many of our other research studies, including clinical trials and experimental medicine studies focusing on immune changes and gut function. We are also a site for large multicentre trials such as ASPro-PD and EJS-ACT-PD.