The chief executive of the Hospital Research Foundation, Olivia Nassaris, is among 2,000 participants in a first data collection trial for Parkinson’s disease in Australia, which is being run by her foundation along with the South Australian Health and Medical Institute (SAMHRI).
Ms Nassaris said the foundation was providing $300,000 for the research study, which she told the ABC, “scanned people living with Parkinson’s and then a control group of people living without Parkinson’s, so we can create a database of scans”.
Researchers believe there is a link with low levels of dopamine in the brain to use this knowledge in the data collection study.
“We’ve injected people with fluorinated dopamine (F-DOPA) which highlights dopamine in the brain and this will become a tool in the diagnostic and treatment toolbox,” Ms Nasssaris said.
“In the future, once we build this biobank of scans, it can actually be used as an effective way to treat Parkinson’s.”
He said that in the coming years, researchers could use the data collected to develop a better understanding of the disease.
“There has been a wide variety of people participating in the trial,” Ms. Nassaris said. “Having this biobank of scans will be useful for doctors.
“This data biobank can diagnose people quickly, get treatment sooner and live better.”
In Australia today more than 100,000 people are living with Parkinson’s disease which affects movement, learning and behaviour. Up to 32 Australians a day are diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s patient Frank Jensen said he hoped the project would help those living with the disease.
“If it can help future generations avoid Parkinson’s or live a little with Parkinson’s, that’s great,” Jensen said. “I hope to reap some of the benefits before my life is over.”