Falls are a symptom that affect about 60% of those with Parkinson’s disease. This symptom can be debilitating, as many injuries can be the result. The University of Bristol and Royal United Hospitals are leading the study of cholinesterase inhibitors for the treatment of this symptom. This study, called the Cholinesterase Inhibitors to Prevent Falls in Parkinson’s Disease Trial (CHIEF-PD), is working to enroll 600 participants across the United Kingdom. They recently enrolled their first patient in the third phase of this study, and researchers are excited to finish enrollment so that this phase may begin.
About Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that affects the central nervous system (CNS). It affects movement through five different stages. As the disease progresses, severity increases. Stage one is characterized by subtle tremors on one side of the body. In stage two symptoms are more noticeable, with tremors and rigidity on both sides of the body. Stage three brings loss of balance and slow movement, while stage four makes it impossible for one to live independently. Stage five is the most severe, as patients cannot stand or walk. Hallucinations and delusions are common symptoms of this stage.
Parkinson’s disease occurs due to the death of motor neurons, some of which produce dopamine. Abnormal brain activity occurs when these neurons are lost and leads to Parkinson’s. Dopamine is important in the transmittance of messages to the muscles from the brain, so the loss of dopamine results in the loss of motor functions. Doctors do not know why these motor neurons die, but they do suspect a few factors that play a role, such as genetics, environmental factors like toxins, and Lewy bodies.
There are no FDA approved therapies for Parkinson’s, and treatment is symptomatic. There are dopamine substitutes, carbidopa-levodopa, MAO-B inhibitors, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors, anticholinergics, and amantadine.
About the Study
The Cholinesterase Inhibitors to Prevent Falls in Parkinson’s Disease Trial (CHIEF-PD) is currently in its third phase, for which it has recently enrolled its first patient. Participants will be from 26 hospitals throughout the United Kingdom, and they must have had a fall in the year before this trial.
Gitte Dawson is currently the only participant, and she is very “interested in this research.” She has fallen multiple times since her diagnosis, and hopes that this treatment will be able to improve her and others’ quality of life.
This study is placebo-controlled and will last for one year. The cholinesterase inhibitor comes in a patch form, making the administration simple. It blocks the the breakdown of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine and fixes imbalances in the brain.
Gitte’s enrollment marks the official start of the third phase of this trial, and researchers are very excited to see it begin. They hope that this treatment is successful, as it would be able to improve the quality of life of many people with Parkinson’s disease.
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