Ongoing research in Parkinson’s Disease and related conditions

As a guest speaker at the combined Parkinson’s Disease Newcastle Support Groups Public Forum 2026, Professor Simon Lewis presents an overview of current understanding and research into Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, emphasising progress but no definitive cure. He discusses three key conditions: Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and isolated REM sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD), the latter being an early prodromal stage of these conditions.  He discusses our current understanding of how Parkinson’s pathology progresses and causes a wide range of physical (motor) and non-motor symptoms, including cognitive decline, mood changes, autonomic dysfunction, and sleep disturbances.  He discusses its multifactorial causes with only 1–2% of cases being due to causative genes, while ~10% involve genetic risk factors. Environmental influences, such as pesticide exposure, also contribute. These insights help identify biological pathways for potential treatments.  This knowledge can be leveraged to inform disease-modifying trials aimed at slowing progression rather than curing the disease. Approaches include monoclonal antibodies targeting alpha-synuclein and repurposed drugs affecting inflammation or metabolic pathways. Large collaborative trials, such as the Australian Parkinson’s Mission, are testing multiple therapies efficiently. Importantly, early intervention in high-risk individuals (e.g., those with iRBD) is also a major focus.

He also highlights his research targeting cognition, hallucinations and freezing of gait that utilise innovative methods including brain imaging, virtual reality, EEG monitoring and home sleep studies, which are improving our understanding of brain dysfunction and enabling new treatments.  Finally, he stressed that significant advances can only be made through participation in research, which is crucial to progress.

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