Landmark Research Study for Your Patients

The Michael J. Fox Foundation launched PPMI in 2010. Since then, the study has changed how research is done and what scientists know about the brain.

This landmark initiative follows people — with and without Parkinson's — over time to learn more about how disease starts and changes. That information can help doctors and scientists better diagnose, treat and even prevent brain disease. Better tools to predict, diagnose and track Parkinson’s can speed new therapies and improve care.

Some volunteers share data online. Others have tests and share biological samples at one of 50 participating medical centers in 12 countries. The study shares its data set — the most robust in Parkinson's research — with scientists to speed breakthroughs.

This landmark initiative is only possible through partnerships. Field leaders and more than 40 funding partners have helped shape PPMI. Most importantly, more than 1,800 participants enrolled in PPMI over its first decade. Now PPMI is recruiting more volunteers who can help advance us closer to better treatments and prevention.

PPMI is sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation. It is supported by more than 40 public, private and non-profit partners. A team of academic and industry scientists direct the study protocol.

The lead investigators are Ken Marek, MD, and Caroline Tanner, MD, PhD.

Medical centers in the U.S. and 11 other countries are enrolling certain groups:

• People diagnosed with Parkinson’s within two years and not yet taking PD medication
• People who act out dreams while asleep (REM sleep behavior disorder)
• People with a known genetic mutation linked to Parkinson’s (GBA, LRRK2, SNCA, PRKN, PINK1)
• Control volunteers with no known connection to disease

People from diverse backgrounds (race, ethnicity, socioeconomic circumstance, sexual orientation, etc.) are especially needed. To develop cures for everyone with Parkinson's, research must include everyone with the disease.

View a list of recruiting sites. (PPMI covers travel for potential volunteers and a study companion.) 

Enrolling people early in their disease course allows volunteers to contribute valuable data over time to help plot disease biology and experience, from the earliest signs of Parkinson’s through its later stages. It is also important that we gather information before individuals start medication, which may change test results.

In 2021, the American Academy of Neurology issued guidelines for health care providers, offering recommendations for treating motor symptoms in people with early PD. The guidelines include a note on enrolling in research before medication is required:

"When symptoms are not causing disability, most individuals with PD and clinicians are comfortable with a “wait and see” approach, although this requires careful monitoring and advising patients not to tolerate disability or reduction in quality of life unnecessarily. In the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative dataset of individuals with new PD diagnoses who were expected to be able to remain untreated for at least 6 months, 283 of 423 (67%) individuals with PD started treatment within 2 years of study onset, an average of 0.78 (SD 0.5) years after study entry. This provides an opportunity for interested individuals with de novo PD to participate in clinical trials targeting this population."

PPMI makes its data available to qualified researchers. Scientists also may apply for samples for biomarker validation projects. Learn more on the PPMI researcher-facing website.

Doctors play a critical role on a Parkinson’s care team. In addition to providing care, you can help patients understand how they can contribute to important research.

You can advise your patients to contact the study team directly via phone at 877-525-PPMI or email at joinppmi@michaeljfox.org. Utilize our partner toolkit to download materials to share information with your patients. Click here to access the toolkit.