Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

Code:

NCT04477785

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 30+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Study Details

Brief summary:

The Parkinson Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI) is a longitudinal, observational, multi-center natural history study to assess progression of clinical features, digital outcomes, and imaging, biologic and genetic markers of Parkinson's disease (PD) progression in study participants with manifest PD, prodromal PD, and healthy controls.

The overall goal of PPMI is to identify markers of disease progression for use in clinical trials of therapies to reduce progression of PD disability.

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Study ID

NCT04477785

Start date

Jul 1, 2020

Status verified date

Oct, 2025

Completion date

Dec, 2033

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec, 2033

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 30+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

7.1 Healthy Controls (HC) Note: Active Healthy controls previously enrolled in PPMI do not require re-assessment of eligibility criteria listed below for enrollment in PPMI Clinical. Active participants do need to be able to provide informed consent for PPMI Clinical participation (includes use of a designated research proxy).

7.1.1 Inclusion Criteria (HC)

1. Male or female age 57 years or older at Screening visit.
2. Individuals taking any of the following drugs: alpha methyldopa, methylphenidate, amphetamine derivatives or modafinil, must be willing and medically able to hold the medication for at least 5 half-lives before SPECT imaging.
3. Confirmation that participant is eligible based on Screening SPECT imaging.
4. Able to provide informed consent.
5. Either is male, or is female and meets additional criteria below, as applicable:

  • Female of childbearing potential who is not pregnant, lactating, or planning pregnancy during the study and has a negative pregnancy test on day of Screening SPECT imaging test prior to injection of DaTscanTM.

7.1.2 Exclusion Criteria (HC)

1. First degree relative with PD (i.e., biologic parent, sibling, child).
2. Current or active clinically significant neurological disorder (in the opinion of the Investigator).
3. Previously obtained MRI scan with evidence of clinically significant neurological disorder (in the opinion of the Investigator).
4. Received any of the following drugs: dopamine receptor blockers (neuroleptics), metoclopramide and reserpine within 6 months of Screening visit.
5. Current treatment with anticoagulants (e.g., coumadin, heparin, oral thrombin inhibitors) that might preclude safe completion of the lumbar puncture.
6. Condition that precludes the safe performance of routine lumbar puncture, such as prohibitive lumbar spinal disease, bleeding diathesis, or clinically significant coagulopathy or thrombocytopenia.
7. Any other medical or psychiatric condition or lab abnormality, which in the opinion of the investigator might preclude participation.
8. Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator, would render the participant unsuitable for study enrollment.

7.2 Parkinson's Disease (PD) Note: Active PD participants previously enrolled in PPMI do not require re-assessment of eligibility criteria listed below for enrollment in PPMI Clinical. Active participants do need to be able to provide informed consent for PPMI Clinical participation (includes use of a designated research proxy).

7.2.1 Inclusion Criteria (PD)

1. Male or female age 30 years or older at Screening Visit.
2. A diagnosis of Parkinson's disease for 2 years or less at Screening Visit.
3. Not expected to require PD medication within at least 6 months from Baseline.
4. Patients must have at least two of the following: resting tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity (must have either resting tremor or bradykinesia); OR either asymmetric resting tremor or asymmetric bradykinesia.
5. Hoehn and Yahr stage I or II at Baseline.
6. Individuals taking any of the following drugs: alpha methyldopa, methylphenidate, amphetamine derivatives or modafinil, must be willing and medically able to hold the medication for at least 5 half-lives before SPECT imaging.
7. Confirmation that participant is eligible based on Screening SPECT imaging.
8. Able to provide informed consent.
9. Either is male, or is female and meets additional criteria below, as applicable:

  • Female of childbearing potential who is not pregnant, lactating, or planning pregnancy during the study and has a negative pregnancy test on day of Screening SPECT imaging test prior to injection of DaTscanTM.

7.2.2 Exclusion Criteria (PD)

1. Currently taking levodopa, dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors, amantadine or another PD medication, except for low-dose treatment of restless leg syndrome (with permission of medical monitor).
2. Has taken levodopa, dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors or amantadine within 60 days of Baseline visit.
3. Has taken levodopa or dopamine agonists prior to Baseline visit for more than a total of 90 days.
4. Atypical PD syndromes due to either drugs (e.g., metoclopramide, flunarizine, neuroleptics) or metabolic disorders (e.g., Wilson's disease), encephalitis, or degenerative diseases (e.g., progressive supranuclear palsy).
5. A clinical diagnosis of dementia as determined by the investigator.
6. Previously obtained MRI scan with evidence of clinically significant neurological disorder (in the opinion of the Investigator).
7. Received any of the following drugs: dopamine receptor blockers (neuroleptics), metoclopramide and reserpine within 6 months of Screening visit.
8. Current treatment with anticoagulants (e.g., coumadin, heparin, oral thrombin inhibitors) that might preclude safe completion of the lumbar puncture.
9. Condition that precludes the safe performance of routine lumbar puncture, such as prohibitive lumbar spinal disease, bleeding diathesis, or clinically significant coagulopathy or thrombocytopenia.
10. Any other medical or psychiatric condition or lab abnormality, which in the opinion of the investigator might preclude participation.
11. Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator, would render the participant unsuitable for study enrollment.

7.3 Parkinson's Disease (PD) with LRRK2 or GBA variant Note: Active PD participants previously enrolled in PPMI do not require re-assessment of eligibility criteria listed below for enrollment in PPMI Clinical. Active participants do need to be able to provide informed consent for PPMI Clinical participation (includes use of a designated research proxy).

7.3.1 Inclusion Criteria (PD ¬- LRRK2 or GBA)

1. Male or female age 30 years or older at Screening Visit.
2. A diagnosis of Parkinson's disease for 2 years or less at Screening Visit.
3. Patients must have at least two of the following: resting tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity (must have either resting tremor or bradykinesia); OR either asymmetric resting tremor or asymmetric bradykinesia.
4. Hoehn and Yahr stage I or II at Baseline.
5. Confirmation of causative LRRK2 or GBA (willingness to undergo genetic testing as part of genetic screening and be informed of genetic testing results, or approved documentation of prior genetic testing results).
6. Individuals taking any of the following drugs: alpha methyldopa, methylphenidate, amphetamine derivatives or modafinil, must be willing and medically able to hold the medication for at least 5 half-lives before SPECT imaging.
7. Confirmation that participant is eligible based on Screening SPECT imaging.
8. Able to provide informed consent.
9. Either is male, or is female and meets additional criteria below, as applicable:

  • Female of childbearing potential who is not pregnant, lactating, or planning pregnancy during the study and has a negative pregnancy test on day of Screening SPECT imaging test prior to injection of DaTscanTM.

7.3.2 Exclusion Criteria (PD - LRRK2 or GBA)

1. Received any of the following drugs: dopamine receptor blockers (neuroleptics), metoclopramide and reserpine within 6 months of Screening visit.
2. Current treatment with anticoagulants (e.g., coumadin, heparin) that might preclude safe completion of the lumbar puncture.
3. Condition that precludes the safe performance of routine lumbar puncture, such as prohibitive lumbar spinal disease, bleeding diathesis, or clinically significant coagulopathy or thrombocytopenia.
4. Any other medical or psychiatric condition or lab abnormality, which in the opinion of the investigator might preclude participation.
5. Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator, would render the participant unsuitable for study enrollment.

7.4 Parkinson's Disease (PD) with SNCA or rare genetic variant Note: Active PD participants previously enrolled in PPMI do not require re-assessment of eligibility criteria listed below for enrollment in PPMI clinical. Active participants do need to be able to provide informed consent for PPMI Clinical participation (includes use of a designated research proxy).

7.4.1 Inclusion Criteria (PD - SNCA or rare genetic variant (such as Parkin or Pink1))

1. Male or female age 30 years or older at Screening Visit.
2. Parkinson's disease diagnosis at Screening Visit.
3. Patients must have at least two of the following: resting tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity (must have either resting tremor or bradykinesia); OR either asymmetric resting tremor or asymmetric bradykinesia.
4. Hoehn and Yahr stage I, II, or III at Baseline.
5. Confirmation of causative SNCA or rare genetic variant (such as Parkin or Pink1) (willingness to undergo genetic testing as part of genetic screening and be informed of genetic testing results, or approved documentation of prior genetic testing results).
6. Individuals taking any of the following drugs: alpha methyldopa, methylphenidate, amphetamine derivatives or modafinil, must be willing and medically able to hold the medication for at least 5 half-lives before SPECT imaging.
7. Confirmation that participant is eligible based on Screening SPECT imaging.
8. Able to provide informed consent.
9. Either is male, or is female and meets additional criteria below, as applicable:

  • Female of childbearing potential who is not pregnant, lactating, or planning pregnancy during the study and has a negative pregnancy test on day of Screening SPECT imaging test prior to injection of DaTscanTM.

7.4.2 Exclusion Criteria (PD - SNCA or rare genetic variant (such as Parkin or Pink1))

1. Received any of the following drugs: dopamine receptor blockers (neuroleptics), metoclopramide and reserpine within 6 months of Screening visit.
2. Current treatment with anticoagulants (e.g., coumadin, heparin) that might preclude safe completion of the lumbar puncture.
3. Condition that precludes the safe performance of routine lumbar puncture, such as prohibitive lumbar spinal disease, bleeding diathesis, or clinically significant coagulopathy or thrombocytopenia.
4. Any other medical or psychiatric condition or lab abnormality, which in the opinion of the investigator might preclude participation.
5. Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator, would render the participant unsuitable for study enrollment.

7.5 Prodromal Note: Active Prodromal participants previously enrolled in PPMI do not require re-assessment of eligibility criteria listed below for enrollment in PPMI Clinical. Active participants do need to be able to provide informed consent for PPMI Clinical participation (includes use of a designated research proxy).

The specific predictive eligibility criteria for participants recruited through PPMI Remote to advance to PPMI Clinical will be iteratively optimized based on data collected from these studies.

7.5.1 Inclusion criteria (Prodromal)

For Screening:

1. Confirmation that participant is eligible based on centrally determined predictive criteria including the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT).

  • For participants in PPMI Remote, referral to the clinical site confirms predictive eligibility.
  • For participants identified by the clinical site, predictive criteria are based on generalized risk such as first degree biologic relative, known risk of PD including RBD, or known genetic variants associated with PD risk.

Additionally, confirmation of UPSIT eligibility during the Screening visit prior to SPECT Imaging.
2. Male or female age 60 years or older (except age 30 years or older for SNCA, or rare genetic variants (such as Parkin or Pink1) participants).
3. Individuals taking any of the following drugs: alpha methyldopa, methylphenidate, amphetamine derivatives or modafinil, must be willing and medically able to hold the medication for at least 5 half-lives before SPECT imaging.
4. Able to provide informed consent.
5. Either is male, or is female and meets additional criteria below, as applicable:

• Female of childbearing potential who is not pregnant, lactating, or planning pregnancy during the study and has a negative pregnancy test on day of Screening SPECT imaging test prior to injection of DaTscanTM.

For continuation to Baseline visit and ongoing follow-up:
6. Confirmation that participant is eligible based on \*Screening SPECT imaging.

  • Screening SPECT Imaging eligibility:

Based on the results of the SPECT imaging test, Prodromal participants eligible to continue their participation in PPMI Clinical will be asked to return for their PPMI Clinical baseline visit. Neither the participant nor the site investigator will be made aware of the participant's DAT status during the study.

  • It is anticipated that approximately 6,000 participants will complete a screening visit to undergo DAT imaging. Approximately 2,000 participants will be eligible to continue their participation in PPMI Clinical (those not eligible to proceed will remain in PPMI Remote, as applicable).
  • All participants with DAT deficit will be eligible to continue their participation in PPMI Clinical. It is estimated that about 75% of eligible participants will have a DAT deficit (defined by a hybrid of visual assessment and quantitative striatal specific binding analysis).
  • Some participants without DAT deficit will also be eligible to continue their participation in PPMI Clinical. These participants will be chosen based on DAT binding that is reduced from age expected but it not outside the normal range and/or from individuals with high-risk of PD including RBD, LRRK2, GBA, SNCA, or rare genetic variants (such as Parkin or Pink1) that do not demonstrate DAT deficit. It is estimated that about 25% of eligible participants will not have a DAT deficit.
  • It is anticipated that approximately 30% of the PPMI Clinical prodromal participants with DAT deficit will phenoconvert to motor parkinsonism during a 3 to 5-year follow-up.

7.5.2 Exclusion Criteria (Prodromal)

1. Clinical diagnosis of PD at screening, other parkinsonism, or dementia.
2. Received any of the following drugs: dopamine receptor blockers (neuroleptics), metoclopramide and reserpine within 6 months of Baseline Visit.
3. Current treatment with anticoagulants (e.g. coumadin, heparin) that might preclude safe completion of the lumbar puncture.
4. Condition that precludes the safe performance of routine lumbar puncture, such as prohibitive lumbar spinal disease, bleeding diathesis, or clinically significant coagulopathy or thrombocytopenia.
5. Any other medical or psychiatric condition or lab abnormality, which in the opinion of the investigator might preclude participation.
6. Currently taking levodopa, dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors, amantadine or another PD medication, except for low-dose treatment of restless leg syndrome (with permission of medical monitor).
7. Has taken levodopa, dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors or amantadine within 60 days of Baseline visit. except for low-dose treatment of restless leg syndrome (with permission of medical monitor).
8. Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator, would render the participant unsuitable for study enrollment.

Study Design

Enrollment

4500 participants

Anticipated

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

Clinical Observation

In PPMI Clinical up to 4,500 participants will be enrolled and followed longitudinally once identified, over the course of 5-8 years.

Primary outcome measure

  • Establish standardized protocols for acquisition, transfer and analysis of clinical, digital, imaging, biologic and genetic data that can be used by the PD research community. [ Time Frame: Baseline to 156 months ]
  • Comprehensive and uniformly acquired dataset [ Time Frame: Baseline to 156 months ]
  • Comparison between Rates of Change [ Time Frame: Study intervals ranging from 3 months to 156 months ]
  • Prevalence of measures of clinical, imaging and biomic outcomes in various subsets [ Time Frame: study intervals ranging from baseline to 156 months. ]
  • Establish the probability of phenoconversion to PD [ Time Frame: study intervals ranging from baseline to 156 months. ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Recruiting

Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Marissa Dean, MD

Barrow Neurological Institute

Recruiting

Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85013

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Holly Shill, MD

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Recruiting

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, 85259

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Shyamal Mehta, MD

Banner Research Institute

Recruiting

Sun City, Arizona, United States, 85351

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

David Shprecher

University of California San Diego

Recruiting

La Jolla, California, United States, 92093-0948

Contacts

Principal Investigator:

Douglas Galasko, MD

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Recruiting

Los Angeles, California, United States, 90033

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Mark Lew

University of California, San Francisco

Recruiting

San Francisco, California, United States, 94115

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Caroline Tanner, MD

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Recruiting

Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Michelle Fullard, MD

Institute For Neurodegenerative Disorders

Recruiting

New Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06510

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Neha Prakash, MD

Parkinson's Disease& Movement Disorder Center of Boca Raton

Recruiting

Boca Raton, Florida, United States, 33486

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Stuart Isaacson, MD

University of Florida

Recruiting

Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32608

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Nikolaus McFarland

University of South Florida

Recruiting

Tampa, Florida, United States, 33606

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Robert Hauser, MD

Emory University School of Medicine

Recruiting

Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 30329

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Stewart A Factor, DO

Northwestern University

Recruiting

Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Tanya Simuni, MD

University of Kansas Medical Center

Recruiting

Kansas City, Kansas, United States, 66160

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Rajesh Pahwa, MD

Johns Hopkins University

Recruiting

Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Emile Moukheiber, MD

Boston University

Recruiting

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02118

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Marie H. Saint-Hilaire, MD

Massachusetts General Hospital

Recruiting

Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02446

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Aleksandar Videnovic, MD

University of Michigan

Recruiting

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Kelvin Chou

Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

Recruiting

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, 89106

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Zoltan Mari, MD

Beth Israel Medical Center

Recruiting

New York, New York, United States, 10003

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Katherine Leaver, MD

NYU Langone Health

Recruiting

New York, New York, United States, 10017

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Giulietta Riboldi

University of Rochester

Recruiting

Rochester, New York, United States, 14620

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Ruth Schneider, MD

University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Recruiting

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45219

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Alberto Espay, MD, MSC

Cleveland Clinic

Recruiting

Cleveland, Ohio, United States, 44195

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Hubert H. Fernandez, MD

Oregon Health &Science University

Recruiting

Portland, Oregon, United States, 97239

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Joseph Quinn, MD

University of Pennsylvania

Recruiting

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Nabila Dahodwala, MD

University of Pittsburgh

Recruiting

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Abby Olsen, MD

Baylor College of Medicine

Recruiting

Houston, Texas, United States, 77030

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Arjun Tarakad, MD

Univ of Washington and VA Puget Sound Health Care System

Recruiting

Seattle, Washington, United States, 98104

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Cyrus Zabetian, MD

The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus

Recruiting

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1Y 4E9

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Tiago Mestre

Toronto Western Hospital

Recruiting

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5T 2S8

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Connie Marras

McGill University

Recruiting

Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A2B4

Contacts

PPMI Call Center

877-525-7764

Principal Investigator:

Ron Postuma

More Information

Sponsor

Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

Last update posted

Jul 27, 2026

Last verified

Oct, 2025

Keywords

  • Parkinson
  • Bio-markers
  • Neurodegenerative disorder
  • Imaging
  • Prodromal
  • Genetics
  • At Risk
  • Loss of Smell

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-10-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research on 2026-07-27. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.