$1.2m funding boost for Parkinson’s disease study
University of Canterbury-led research that could help Parkinson’s disease patients learn more about their risk of dementia has received a million-dollar funding boost.
UC Psychology Professor John Dalrymple-Alford (left) and Neurology Professor Tim Anderson from the University of Otago, are working on the study in partnership with colleagues at the New Zealand Brain Research Institute (NZBRI) in Christchurch.
The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC), a Crown agency, has awarded a project grant of $1.189 million over four years to a multi-disciplinary team investigating predictors of cognitive health for people with Parkinson’s disease.
Lead researchers University of Canterbury (UC) Psychology Professor John Dalrymple-Alford and Neurology Professor Tim Anderson from the Department of Medicine, University of Otago, are working on the study in partnership with colleagues at the New Zealand Brain Research Institute (NZBRI) in Christchurch.
The professors are co-leaders of the longitudinal research programme on Parkinson’s disease. Professor Dalrymple-Alford says the goal of the new study is to provide a more accurate prognosis for patients.
“The first question many people often ask following their diagnosis is, ‘Will I get dementia?’ Knowing who is at risk of rapid decline is important for that person and their whānau and the management of their condition.”