NINDS: Hunting for an LBD Biomarker

Did you know that the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) plays a leading role in funding research on Lewy body disorders?  Because LBD and Parkinson’s disease share the same underlying biology, NINDS added LBD to their Parkinson’s Disease Biomarker Program (PDBP).  In 2019 NINDS awarded another $4.3 million in research funding for the study of biological indicators of LBD during life.

These ‘biomarker’ studies take a deep dive into LBD. The studies are ‘observational’, meaning multiple assessments done over time.  The purpose is to better understand the connection between biological changes and LBD clinical symptoms. The lack of biomarkers is a major barrier to advances in early LBD diagnosis and finding treatments to slow or stop the disease.

Unfortunately, recruitment of volunteers for these studies is proving harder than expected. Without the involvement and commitment of more people from the LBD community, some studies could fail simply from low enrollment. Inspired volunteers are desperately needed who are willing to make a personal investment on behalf of the future.

Be a part of discovering better options for diagnosing and treating LBD. Find an LBD biomarker study near you.