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The Longitudinal Parkinson’s Study and PET imaging study would not be possible without the generous donations from Bruce and Gill Ross. Thank you, Bruce and Gill. Hear more fromTracy at our Christchurch Headlines event: Neuroimaging and the Future of Research 16May 6pm The Tannery - Metropolitan Room 3 Garland Road, Woolston, Christchurch Registration essential at headlines-event-chch.eventbrite.co.nz or call 0508 272 467 and press 3 for the Events Department we aimed to generate an individualised risk score for dementia over time. Such a unique advance in precision and personalised medicine would enable informed discussion between doctor, patient and carer about prognosis and life-choices. It would also provide a mechanism for recruiting the appropriate ‘at risk’ people with Parkinson’s disease into new trials of therapies aiming to prevent dementia. Our most recent work suggests that MRI (specifically total brain volume, thickness of the cortex, and lesions within the white matter) provides additional and useful information about an individual’s risk of future dementia. We are continuing to pursue this avenue of research by introducing additional imaging metrics into our sophisticated model, with the goal of further refining our ‘risk score’. We hope that one day this may provide a useful clinical tool. We were excited to add an additional imaging technique, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, to the study in 2015. PET imaging uses a contrast agent that allows the measurement of brain pathology during life. Research has suggested that the accumulation of beta-amyloid, generally associated with Alzheimer’s disease, in Parkinson’s disease may also lead to cognitive impairment and dementia. We tested this hypothesis by acquiring amyloid PET images from 115 people with Parkinson’s disease (Figure 3). Amyloid accumulation was not associated with cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease, suggesting that amyloid deposition is not the primary cause of cognitive impairments in Parkinson’s disease. Other aspects of the longitudinal study In addition to cognitive testing and imaging analyses, we have also used a number of different tools to investigate the progression of Parkinson’s disease. We collected blood and extracted genetic material from our participants. With collaborators, we have identified an interesting relationship between genetic variability and cognitive impairments, with hints of potential blood-derived biomarkers of disease. Eye movement recordings also provide useful information about the clinical progression of the disease. Based on a national pharmaceutical database, the team has also provided the first nationwide estimates of the incidence and prevalence of Parkinson’s disease in New Zealand. We have also identified a difference in both incidence and prevalence across the major ethnic groups, with Māori showing the lowest incidence in a study funded by the Neurological Foundation. Future work We continue to follow our participants over time. The Neurological Foundation has funded a new project in which a subset of our larger cohort will undergo a new type of PET imaging which allows measurement of the tau protein. These same individuals will complete a new, vascular-focused MRI session. Furthermore, we have begun to acquire EEG brain scans. Working with colleagues from around New Zealand and internationally, we are investigating potential blood-derived markers of disease status and progression. We will also continue to expand our epidemiological work to understand regional and ethnic variation. Over the past decade, we have learned a lot about Parkinson’s disease, but there are still many unanswered questions. We at the NZBRI will continue to diligently investigate these questions with the hope to ultimately improve clinical care through research. The Longitudinal Parkinson’s Study and PET imaging study would not be possible without the generous donations from Bruce and Gill Ross. Thank you, Bruce and Gill. 18 Headlines