NCT07480187 · ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING

Toward Molecular Profiling of Parkinson's Disease in Easily Accessible Biological Matrices

This study is testing whether biomarkers found in blood plasma and nasal tissue can accurately profile different neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Researchers are collecting samples from 340 participants across three Italian centers to see whether these easy-to-obtain samples reflect what is happening in the brain. This is a Phase NA observational study — it collects and measures, it does not test a treatment.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:
patients with clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, atypical parkinsonisms, Alzheimer's disease, healthy volunteers, people with subjective cognitive decline.
Exclusion Criteria:
Other acute neurological diseases or neurodegenerative diseases such as Frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, and stroke
Relevant comorbidities: chronic kidney disease (significant alteration of blood biomarkers)
Skin biopsy: local skin infection at biopsy site, severe dermatologic disease at sampling area, known bleeding disorder, significant thrombocytopenia, anticoagulation not safely manageable, allergy to local anesthetics, poor wound healing, severe peripheral vascular disease, high-risk immunosuppression, inability to consent or cooperate, extensive scarring at intended site
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy: non-MRI-compatible implanted device, ferromagnetic intracranial clip, metallic foreign body, severe claustrophobia not manageable, inability to remain still, MRI-conditional device not meeting safety conditions, pregnancy per institutional policy, severe agitation or confusion, body size exceeding scanner limits, severe motion disorder affecting acquisition
Venipuncture: refusal or inability to consent, local infection at puncture site, severe coagulopathy, marked thrombocytopenia, high bleeding risk anticoagulation, severe anemia relative to planned blood volume, difficult venous access, history of severe vasovagal syncope
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Adults able to provide informed consent
Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
Clinical diagnosis of atypical parkinsonism
Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
Individuals with subjective cognitive decline
Healthy volunteers
Exclusion Criteria:
Acute neurological diseases
Other neurodegenerative diseases not included in the study groups (e.g., frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia)
History of stroke with significant neurological sequelae
Chronic kidney disease with significant alteration of blood biomarkers
Procedure-specific exclusion criteria
Skin biopsy:
Local skin infection at biopsy site
Severe dermatologic disease at sampling area
Known bleeding disorder
Significant thrombocytopenia
Anticoagulation not safely manageable
Allergy to local anesthetics
Poor wound healing
Severe peripheral vascular disease
High-risk immunosuppression
Inability to consent or cooperate
Extensive scarring at intended biopsy site
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS):
Non-MRI-compatible implanted device
Ferromagnetic intracranial clip
Metallic foreign body incompatible with MRI
Severe claustrophobia not manageable with standard procedures
Inability to remain still during MRI acquisition
MRI-conditional device not meeting safety conditions
Pregnancy according to institutional MRI safety policy
Severe agitation or confusion preventing examination
Body size exceeding scanner limits
Severe motion disorder affecting acquisition
Venipuncture:
Refusal or inability to provide consent
Local infection at puncture site
Severe coagulopathy
Marked thrombocytopenia
High bleeding risk due to anticoagulation
Severe anemia relative to planned blood draw volume
Difficult venous access
History of severe vasovagal syncope during venipuncture
Lumbar puncture:
Signs of increased intracranial pressure due to mass lesion
Local infection at puncture site
Uncorrected coagulopathy
Severe thrombocytopenia
Anticoagulation not safely interruptible
Spinal cord compression
Unstable spine
Refusal or inability to cooperate with the procedure
Severe spinal deformity
Prior lumbar surgery complicating access
Severe anxiety or intolerance to the procedure
Pregnancy requiring procedural precautions
Nasal brushing:
Significant nasal polyposis
Severe septal deviation preventing access to the olfactory cleft
Active acute or chronic rhinosinusitis
Recent epistaxis or bleeding-prone nasal mucosa
Nasal lesions, ulcers, or tumors
Recent nasal surgery Nasal brushing: Significant nasal polyposis, Severe septal deviation preventing access to the olfactory cleft, Active acute or chronic rhinosinusitis, Recent epistaxis or bleeding-prone nasal mucosa, Nasal lesions, ulcers, tumors, or recent nasal surger

The sponsor's own eligibility wording, lightly reformatted. The study team makes the final eligibility decision — worth discussing with your doctor.

Eligibility criteria as of 2026-03-18

View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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