The Neurosciences Group of the IIS Aragón highlights its research projects on Parkinson's on World Parkinson's Day

Neurologists from the Miguel Servet University Hospital, belonging to the Neuroscience Research Group of the IIS Aragón, bring us closer to the different research projects on Parkinson's that they are carrying out from their unit.

April 11 is World Parkinson's Day, an important date to raise awareness among the population about this neurodegenerative disease that affects millions of people in the world. Precisely, Juan Marín, neurologist at the Miguel Servet University Hospital, and researcher of the Neurosciences Group of the IIS Aragón, He details the different research projects they are currently working on.

• Development and validation of novel biomarker assays for early and specific diagnosis

This is a project led by Dr Nunilo Cremades, a researcher at the University of Zaragoza in collaboration with several members of the HUMS Neuroscience Group and also the HCULB. In it we identify alphasynuclein oligomers (the proteins altered in Parkinson's disease) in patients with Parkinson's and we verify its absence in people who do not have it. It uses novel single-particle microscopy techniques to evaluate easily acquired samples such as saliva. The objective is to be able to make a biological and early diagnosis of the disease.

• Identification of dementia risk factors and markers

The disease of Parkinson's poses a considerable increase in the risk of dementia. However, today it is not possible to know which patients have a high risk of dementia and the risk of it occurring soon and which do not. This project periodically evaluates hundreds of patients to learn how to detect the risk of dementia earlier.

• Objective movement analysis for diagnosis

Parkinson's disease is diagnosed and evaluated primarily by studying the patient's movements. These movements are studied by a doctor specializing in this disease (usually a neurologist). This project, in collaboration with the Heriot-Watt University of Edinburgh and the Zaragoza company Cierzo Internet, is developing an objective movement analysis system that allows people with Parkinson's to be more objectively distinguished from healthy people of the same age. It is also intended to be useful in evaluating the evolution of the disease.

• Constipation and cognition in the disease

Parkinson's disease is associated with a high prevalence of constipation. In turn, in recent years it has been seen how constipation is associated with a greater risk of cognitive problems. This project aims to evaluate the impact of constipation on cognition in order to later try to address this impact and improve the cognitive evolution of patients.

• Cognitive biases

Cognitive biases are errors in assessment or judgment that appear systematically throughout the population. Although they have been known for decades, it is not known by what mechanisms they occur. It is known that medications used to treat Parkinson's disease not only affect mobility, but also influence cognitive performance, motivation, mood and learning. This project aims to evaluate the impact of Parkinson's disease treatment on cognitive biases.