Dynamic functional brain imaging of the motor and cognitive effects of dopaminergic medications in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the fastest growing neurological disorder. A loss of dopamine producing brain cells is thought to cause movement difficulties and various nonmotor symptoms in PD, and the majority of patients are prescribed dopamine replacement therapy (DRT). Although DRT is effective, many patients develop fluctuations in its effects and different patients respond differently to DRT. This research program will use non-invasive imaging to investigate how brain activity changes in real-time after patients with PD take DRT, in terms of “on-target” effects on brain areas associated with symptom improvement and “off-target” effects on uninvolved areas. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recordings, which provide detailed information about the “when” and “where” of brain activity, will be collected at multiple time points alongside measurements of movement and cognitive symptoms while a patient’s normal DRT takes effect. An understanding of how patients’ brains respond to DRT will help develop methods to more precisely determine an appropriate DRT regimen for patients who experience motor and cognitive fluctuations, and guide future research on PD medications and neuromodulation.