Clinical and Digital Phenotyping of prodromal and manifest Parkinson’s in the Oxford Discovery Cohort

The Oxford Discovery cohort comprises 1700 longitudinally-evaluated individuals, working to improve our understanding of the biology of early Parkinson’s and identify predictors of Parkinson’s onset and progression. Key strengths include the comprehensive study of early Parkinson’s over time, encompassing a range of motor, non-motor, cognitive and psychiatric features. Innovative statistical approaches have allowed us to understand baseline individual differences in Parkinson’s, and how this affects progression. We use cutting edge technologies to stratify and predict Parkinson’s including smartphones and our new home-based sleep test. Parallel blood, DNA, proteomics and brain imaging allow us to test combinations of prognostic biomarkers for individual stratification and trial design. Our RBD cohort at 300 PSG-diagnosed subjects is world-leading providing detailed monitoring of participants with a 6% annual risk of developing future Parkinson’s. With worldwide treatments for early Parkinson’s currently being trialled worldwide, RBD allows us to test promising treatments targeted at a much earlier stage, offering the real prospect of a cure.

Michele is a Consultant Neurologist at Oxford University Hospitals, and Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford. Her clinical work focuses on Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders. Her research within the Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre (website:www.opdc.ox.ac.uk) looks at longitudinal cohort studies and biomarkers for early and prodromal Parkinson’s disease, with particular focus on REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and how sleep affects neurodegeneration.  Interests include the delivery of tractable, low cost, wearable technology that has a real impact on patient’s daily lives, and imaging the human brain from prodromal to established Parkinson’s.