Parkinson's Disease is the fastest growing neurodegenerative disease in the world. With over 40 symptoms, ranging from communication difficulties to tremors, fatigue, balance issues and depression, everyone’s Parkinson’s experience is different, and there is currently no cure.

This World Parkinson’s Day on 11 April, we ask you to consider supporting our research into life-changing therapies with a tax-deductible online donation.

Therapies like a world first drug trial that is currently underway at Macquarie to address one of the early warning signs of the disease – people acting out their dreams during REM sleep. It is hoped that by treating the neuroinflammation that is driving the disease at the earliest stages, its progress can be stopped before permanent damage is done to cells.

Early intervention: Professor of Cognitive Neurology Simon Lewis, pictured, is hoping to successfully treat the neuroinflammation that drives Parkinson's disease with a new drug being tested in a world-first trial.

As one of the 24 global study sites for the Michael J Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, Macquarie University is at the forefront of finding life-changing treatments for our patients.

Parkinson's Disease is the fastest growing neurodegenerative disease in the world. Patients progressively deteriorate across motor and non-motor domains with a significant incidence of institutional care.  However, many potential pathophysiological targets have been identified and there is a recognised prodromal phase, which in combination with novel biological markers might allow the use of neuroprotective strategies at the earliest stages of disease.

At a recent Parkinson’s Disease Public Forum on campus hosted by Professor Simon Lewis, guest speaker Professor Roger Barker (Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge) spoke about the improvements in our understanding of the disease in the last 25 years. If you would like to receive a copy of the recording, please contact pd.clinic@mq.edu.au.

If you are interested in participating in research then please fill out this short questionnaire.