Projects
Clinical and genetic epidemiology of Parkinson's disease: focus on disease progression and non-motor symptoms. University of Antwerp
Dissecting the link between astrocyte diversity and PD risk” to investigate how neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, intersect with regional aspects of astrocyte identity Flanders Institute for Biotechnology
Longitudinal measurement of synaptic density to monitor progression of Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease KU Leuven
Increasing evidence from cell or animal models and postmortem human studies suggests that synaptic pathology is important in the early disease pathophysiology of Parkinson’s (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD). PET imaging with 11C‑UCB‑J, targeting the presynaptic protein SV2A, provides an in vivo marker for synaptic density in the human brain. This thesis reports two multimodal imaging studies in people with early PD and early HD ...
Prospective head-to-head comparison of cardiac [18F]-MFBG PET versus [123I]-MIBG SPECT in the differentiation between Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy and between dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer’s disease. KU Leuven
The present study will be sponsored by the KU Leuven with Koen Van Laere, Prof MD PhD DSc, as its principal investigator. The purpose is a prospective head-to-head comparison of [18F]-MFBG cardiac innervation in the differential diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy Bodies, compared to cardiac innervation measured by [123I]-MIBG cardiac imaging and brain dopamine transporter availability measured by [18F]-PE2I PE. Primary ...
Unraveling cell-type-specific disease modifier pathways in familial Parkinson’s disease KU Leuven
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with only symptomatic treatments but no cures. PD hallmarks are hypokinesia, rigidity, and tremor resulting from dopaminergic cell loss. In addition, PD is characterized by several non-motor symptoms which indicate that also other cell types significantly contribute. Yet we do not have a comprehensive overview of all cell types relevant to PD and the underlying pathways. To study this ...
Druwé-Eerdekens & Van Ael and the Vlaamse Parkinson Liga: "'A Novel Training Method to Reduce Fall Risk in People with Parkinson’s Disease: The Role of the Balance Organ Ghent University
Customized nutrition for Parkinson's disease patients KU Leuven
Parkinson's disease is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by both motor and non-motor deficits. It's cause has not yet been elucidated and no treatment has yet been discovered. The current therapies predominantly relieve motor symptoms. The non-motor deficits include sensory symptoms such as the loss of taste and smell, but also various gastro-intestinal symptoms, including dysphagia, nausea and bloating. In ...
A profound study of gut homeostasis in Parkinson's disease. Ghent University
ParkinsonU+2019s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and due to the
lack of early diagnosis and effective therapy, represents a large burden for our society and
healthcare system. The last years, it became increasingly apparent that non-motor symptoms,
including gastrointestinal dysfunction, precede the onset of the typical PD motor symptoms by
over two decades. Moreover, emerging ...
Do cognitive problems underlie motor deficits in Parkinson's Disease? Ghent University
ParkinsonU+2019s disease (PD) is characterized by motor symptoms such as tremor (for example, involuntarily shaking of a patientU+2019s leg) and postural instability. In addition, PD patients have difficulty learning new movement patterns. In this project, we will examine whether these motor problems may relate to problems in cognitive functioning. We will also study the role of medication in this relationship.