Join The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s mission to find better treatments and ultimately a cure. Whether you have Parkinson’s disease (PD) or not, participating in research is one way to contribute to efforts to develop innovative treatments. In this research roundup blog, we share MJFF-funded and partnering studies that are actively recruiting volunteers. Some investigate ways to treat motor symptoms and slow disease progression. Some follow participants over time to learn more about disease. 

Learn more through the links on how to get involved in each study. Please spread the word of these studies to your networks!  

• Landmark Study Enrolling Anyone Aged 18+: MJFF’s landmark study, the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), is recruiting volunteers with and without PD. The study is exploring how brain disease starts and changes in people of all backgrounds. PPMI is open to anyone over age 18 — with and without Parkinson’s — in the U.S. Learn more and join the study that’s changing everything. Smell loss can be an early sign of Parkinson’s risk. PPMI is also offering free smell tests to anyone age 60 and up without Parkinson’s. Request a free scratch-and-sniff test today and contribute to important research at mysmelltest.org/mjff.   

• Virtual Reality Technology to Advance Deep Brain Stimulation Programming: A clinical study is using virtual reality technology to better understand what occurs in the brain during freezing of gait within people that underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson’s disease. The study is recruiting people to walk through virtually recreated environments of when freezing of gait occurs. Brain signals during the simulation will be recorded from the DBS device. Eligible participants must have undergone deep brain stimulation at least three months prior to study enrollment, complete a survey, be able to walk unaided for ten minutes and provide informed consent. Other eligibility criteria apply. Learn more and join the study.  

• Evaluating a Treatment for Tremors in Parkinson’s: The PATAGONIA study is researching the safety and effectiveness of a new drug that may reduce the impact of tremor on daily activities of people with PD. Sponsored by Jazz Pharmaceuticals, this study is looking for volunteers between 40 to 85 years old diagnosed with PD who experience moderate-to-severe tremor that is not well-controlled by their regular PD medications. The study will last between five and six months and include both in-person visits and phone calls. Learn more about the criteria to join the study. 

• Oral Medication to Stop Parkinson’s Disease Progression: Researchers at Inhibikase Therapeutics are testing whether a new oral drug, Risvodetinib (IkT-148009), can slow or stop the progression of Parkinson’s disease, by partially or completely restoring lost functions. The study is seeking volunteers between 30 to 80 years of age who have not received treatment related to PD in the past.  Learn more about eligibility and join the study.   

• Understanding the Effects of a Treatment for Early Parkinson’s Disease: Roche is evaluating a novel drug, RO7486967, to see if it’s safe and well tolerated for users. The primary goal of the new drug is to treat people in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. Researchers of this study will be looking at the potential side effects and participants’ self-reported experience with the drug. With 15 study centers available in the United States, the study is recruiting volunteers diagnosed with the disease within the last three to five years. Learn more about eligibility and join the study.