This research project seeks to determine how OH affects positional cognitive performance and brain blood flow in persons with PD. In this study, participants with PD with and without OH undergo repeated cognitive testing while laying down and while upright on a tilt table. During cognitive testing, blood pressure is measured continuously and simultaneously while measuring hemodynamics using novel optical neuroimaging technology: functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). To understand the mechanisms behind OH and worse cognitive functioning in PD, we are examining the relationship between blood pressure, cognitive performance, and hemodynamics comparing groups with and without OH while laying down and while upright.
When complete, this project will provide new information on how blood pressure, brain blood flow, and cognitive changes are connected in people with PD. Understanding how OH affects hemodynamics and cognitive skills could help us understand if OH directly contributes to chronic cognitive dysfunction. We anticipate that these findings will help guide treatment targets for OH in PD and encourage further longitudinal studies to explore whether treating OH can improve cognitive function or prevent its worsening in individuals with PD.
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Diagnostic Procedures - Potential The findings will improve understanding of the association between cognitive impairment in PD and hemodynamic biomarkers. This data will inform a potential mechanism for how OH impacts cognitive function and brain blood flow in PD. |
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Disease Prevention and Reduction- Potential The knowledge gained from this project will facilitate clinical decision-making by advancing understanding of when to initiate therapy for OH and how aggressively to treat OH to minimize episodes of low blood flow to the brain and associated cognitive dysfunction while avoiding harm from commonly associated supine hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure when lying down). |
These research highlights are based on preliminary findings of this research study:
Katherine Longardner, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor
UCSD Department of Neurosciences
klongardner@health.ucsd.edu
The team: Irene Litvan, MD, MSc, FAAN, FANA (Primary Mentor); David Salmon, PhD (Co-Mentor); Roy Freeman, MD (Co-Mentor); Kurtulus Izzetoglu, PhD (Co-Mentor); Dawn Schiehser, PhD (Co-Mentor); Michael Skipworth, BS (clinical research coordinator)