ClinicalTrials.gg
Not yet recruitingNCT07919262PDUpdated Nov 5, 2026

Longitudinal Observation of Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's Disease Using Molecular Imaging and Blood Biomarkers

An observational study in Idiopathic Parkinson Disease, sponsored by Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 21 Years to 75 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-05.

Sponsored by Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing · Observational

Updated Nov 5, 2026Newly registeredGo to Updates ↓
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
36
Ages
21 Years to 75 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a single-center, prospective observational study of patients with moderate-to-advanced primary Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Current clinical evaluation mainly depends on motor symptoms, and there is a lack of quantitative biomarkers that can dynamically show nigrostriatal neurodegeneration.

This study aims to explore the changing pattern of neurodegeneration by combining ¹⁸F-DOPA PET imaging and blood biomarkers such as neurofilament light chain, alpha-synuclein, GFAP, Tau and inflammatory factors. Thirty-six eligible participants will be enrolled. At baseline, clinical scales, lab tests, blood collection and ¹⁸F-DOPA PET-CT will be performed. Follow-up assessments will take place at 6 and 12 months.

The primary outcome is the change in ¹⁸F-DOPA PET measurements from baseline to 12 months. Secondary outcomes include changes in clinical rating scales and blood biomarkers over 1 year. Participants can receive standardized medication advice for PD during the study.

Read the detailed description

Primary Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease. Current clinical assessments rely heavily on motor-based rating scales, lacking quantitative biomarkers for dynamic evaluation of nigrostriatal neurodegeneration. Existing large PD cohorts focus mostly on early-stage patients, while longitudinal evidence combining ¹⁸F-DOPA PET molecular imaging and circulating blood biomarkers for moderate-to-advanced PD remains limited. This single-center, prospective observational cohort study is performed at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University. Thirty-six participants with moderate-to-advanced PD (Hoehn-Yahr stage 3-4) will be enrolled. The study schedule includes baseline assessments and repeated follow-up evaluations at 6-, and 12-months after enrollment. Study-related procedures cover clinical rating scales, physical and laboratory examinations, levodopa challenge test, ¹⁸F-DOPA PET-CT scans, blood sample collection and PD-related genetic testing. Adverse events and concomitant medications are collected throughout the study period. Early-withdrawn participants will complete required safety assessments. Potential risks are mainly associated with PET-CT radiation exposure and gastrointestinal side-effects of carbidopa. All participants will receive standardized medication counseling for PD during follow-up. Part of imaging and genetic testing will be completed by collaborative institutions. Conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, the study requires written informed consent prior to any study-related procedures. Subjects may withdraw freely at any time without impact on routine medical care. This work aims to develop an integrated imaging-blood biomarker model to quantify PD-related neurodegeneration and explore potential surrogate endpoints for future disease-modifying trials. Both positive and negative findings will be publicly reported.

02

Conditions studied

  • Idiopathic Parkinson Disease

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • 18F-DOPA PET
  • Parkinson's disease
  • moderate to advanced Parkinson disease
  • biomarker
03

In context

Parkinson Disease

4,573 studies on the registry are indexed under Parkinson Disease; 1,086 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 36 is below the median of 96 across 1,085 observational studies indexed under Parkinson Disease.

Browse Parkinson Disease studies →

Lead sponsor

Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing is the lead sponsor of 363 studies on the registry; 230 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
21 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Patients with Parkinson's disease from the outpatient department of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Confirmed diagnosis of primary Parkinson's disease;
  • Age 21 to 75 years, no sex restriction;
  • Hoehn-Yahr (H\&Y) stage 3-4;
  • OFF-state MDS-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS-III) motor score > 33, with a positive Madopar challenge test (MDS-UPDRS-III improvement rate > 30%);
  • Willingness to participate in the study and signed form.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Secondary parkinsonism / atypical parkinsonian syndromes;
  • Genetically confirmed Parkinson's disease;
  • Prior surgical treatment for Parkinson's disease;
  • to ¹⁸F-DOPA PET-CT scanning, including but not limited to cardiac pacemakers/defibrillators, ferromagnetic metallic implants (excluding skull-based and cardiac devices with MRI safety approval);
  • Comorbid dementia, severe cognitive impairment, or severe psychiatric disorders.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
36 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No
Biospecimen retention
Samples with dna

Groups and cohorts

  • Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease Cohort

    Patients with moderate to advanced idiopathic Parkinson's disease who will undergo clinical assessments, blood sample collection, and brain PET examinations, with longitudinal follow-up for 1 year.

    Diagnostic Test: Brain PET Examination · Diagnostic Test: Clinical assessment, blood sampling and brain PET examination

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testBrain PET Examination

    idiopathic Parkinson's disease

  • Diagnostic testClinical assessment, blood sampling and brain PET examination

    Peripheral blood samples will be collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months for Parkinson's disease-related genetic testing and measurement of blood biomarkers including neurofilament light chain, α-synuclein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, Tau protein and inflammatory factors.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Putamen 18F-DOPA PET Specific Binding Ratio (SBR) from Baseline to 12 Months

    Change in 18F-DOPA PET specific binding ratio (SBR) in the putamen from baseline to 12 months after enrollment. SBR is calculated as the ratio of radiotracer uptake in the putamen to that in a reference region. Higher SBR values indicate greater presynaptic dopaminergic function.

    Time frame: Baseline and 12 months after enrollment

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in MDS-UPDRS Part III Score from Baseline to 12 Months

    Change in the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part III score from baseline to 12 months after enrollment. MDS-UPDRS Part III is a clinician-rated motor examination composed of 18 items yielding 33 individual ratings. Each rating is scored from 0 to 4 (0 = normal, 4 = severe).

    Time frame: Baseline and 12 months after enrollment

  2. Change in Hoehn-Yahr Stage from Baseline to 12 Months

    This study enrolls patients with Hoehn-Yahr stage 3 to 4. Higher stages indicate more advanced disease.

    Time frame: Baseline and 12 months after enrollment

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — With participant consent, the data from this study will be shared and compared with other therapeutic approaches for Parkinson's disease.

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Start is estimated for Nov 2026; primary completion for Apr 2028, 17 months later.

Of 378 non-industry observational studies under Parkinson Disease, half reached primary completion within 48 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 22 and three quarters within 133. This study's planned 17 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 438 studies reached it within 47 months; a quarter within 22 and three quarters within 114.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Oct 25, 2026
First posted
Nov 5, 2026
StartEst.
Nov 2026
Primary completionEst.
Apr 2028
CompletionEst.
Apr 2028
Last update
Nov 5, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Registered
First appeared on the registry. No changes since
Nov 5, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Nov 5, 2026
    First appeared on the registry

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07919262
Responsible party
xucuiping (Associate Professor, Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 5, 2026
Start date
Nov 2026 (estimated)
Primary completion
Apr 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 5, 2026

Study contacts

Cuiping Xu, MD
Contact
mestory@sina.com
+86-131-2668-5830
Cuiping Xu
principal investigator · Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion