A world first for Cork in Parkinson’s research
The world’s first study on how hormonal changes in women with Parkinson’s disease can impact their symptoms is being conducted in Cork.
The study is being undertaken by researchers at UCC in collaboration with Richelle Flanagan, inventor of a self-care app for people with Parkinson’s disease.
Ms Flanagan was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s disease shortly after the birth of her daughter. Based on her own experience, and those of other women, she developed My Moves Matter, a digital health app designed to track women’s symptoms across their menstrual cycle.
Ms Flanagan believes that specific treatment for Parkinson’s symptoms in women is an area that has been long overlooked by the medical community and is now working with a team from UCC’s Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience on a ground-breaking study.
The study seeks the help of women with Parkinson’s disease, who are being asked to track their symptoms using the My Moves Matter app.
The research will be the first in the world to track how hormonal changes in women with Parkinson’s impacts their symptoms. It is hoped that their findings will aid patient-specific treatment and management of the disease.
Ms Flanagan said there is a public misconception that Parkinson’s disease only affects older white men.
“The reality is that 40% of people living with Parkinsons are women and up to 30% are under the age of 60. I myself was diagnosed shortly after the birth of my daughter,” she said.
“My experience of the impact of my hormone fluctuations during my menstrual cycle and subsequently going through the menopause and the effect on my Parkinson’s symptoms led me to develop the My Moves Matter as a tool for women to be able to validate what they experience during these hormonal changes so that they can advocate for themselves.
“They will have a means of showing their neurologist the impact of their hormones on their Parkinson’s symptoms and get appropriate treatment,” added Ms Flanagan.
Professor Aideen Sullivan, Head of Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, UCC, and lead researcher on the study said: “There is increasing global awareness of the unmet need for patient-specific treatment and management of Parkinson’s disease.
“This is particularly important for women with Parkinson’s, who have unique needs. Women may experience Parkinson’s symptoms differently at distinct stages of their monthly menstrual cycle, and of their reproductive lifecycle.
“The involvement of patients in the design and dissemination of our research is critical for its success,” she added.