Parkinson’s disease affects thousands of people each year, which makes research critical. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is sponsoring a trial at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders in New Haven, in order to study people at risk for developing the disease.
The Institute’s Associate Clinical Research Director, Dr. David Russell joined the Fox CT Morning Extra to talk about the disease and how the new study will work.
The study is looking for participants who do not have Parkinson’s disease, but do have a reduced sense of smell (hyposmia). Research to date indicates that this factor can be linked to an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease; however, many people with this condition do not go on to develop PD.
The NIH estimates 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease annually. PD is a disorder of the brain that leads to tremors and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. The disease is one of the most common nervous system disorders of the elderly.