Over £435,000 awarded to new research exploring ways to manage Parkinson’s symptoms

Alongside working to find better treatments, we know it’s important that research also focuses on addressing the day-to-day challenges of living with Parkinson’s. Our non-drug approaches grants provide funding for projects exploring new methods to improve symptoms of Parkinson’s. We want to find new solutions to these challenges and improve everyday for people living with Parkinson’s.

Diane is a research volunteer and part of a panel of people from the Parkinson’s community who assess the applications, helping us choose which projects to fund.

Diane shared: “When looking at the non-drug applications you aren’t looking at it only from your own personal needs, but the needs of all people with Parkinson’s. You’re looking for clarity in the application and the wider relevance to all people with Parkinson’s, and whether it will improve or influence day-to-day well being.

“So many projects have interested me, especially those on exercise. One of the projects I was particularly excited about this time was the one looking at speech and language. It opened my eyes to the lack of information and resources in this area for people with Parkinson’s.”

In the latest round of funding, we’ve awarded a total of £438,540 to 3 projects that are looking at addressing some of the highest priority symptoms for people with Parkinson’s.

Our newly funded projects

Treating language difficulties in Parkinson’s

Lead researcher: Professor Anja Lowit, University of Strathclyde

Funding awarded: £106,543

People with Parkinson’s can often experience difficulties in communication. These include speech and voice problems, but also language difficulties such as finding the right word or understanding complex information. This study will explore how to best support people who experience language difficulties. Working with people with Parkinson’s, loved ones and healthcare professionals, the team will develop a treatment programme that will be tested in a small study with people with Parkinson’s and their support partners.

Anja shared: “We want to provide speech and language therapy beyond aspects of speech and voice, empowering people with Parkinson’s to participate fully in daily activities and maintain greater independence.”

Exploring the effects of ginger on gut health in Parkinson’s

Lead researcher: Dr Caroline Williams-Gray, University of Cambridge

Funding awarded: £199,467

Ginger is a household spice known to support gut health. It helps encourage healthy digestion, and reduces excessive inflammation, a process kickstarted in response to injury or infection but which can cause damage to the body if it’s not controlled. Ginger also increases levels of a hormone called ghrelin which helps support gut health. Research has shown that people with or at a high risk of developing Parkinson’s have lower levels of ghrelin. This study will explore whether ginger can improve ghrelin levels, inflammation, and gut symptoms for people with Parkinson’s.

Caroline shared: “Gut symptoms are a major issue for many people with Parkinson’s and may be linked to the condition getting worse over time. This new study will allow us to test whether ginger supplements can impact on both gut health and inflammation in Parkinson’s.”

Evaluating video-based training to help freezing of gait

Lead researcher: Dr William Young, University of Exeter

Funding award: £132,530

Many people with Parkinson’s experience difficulties walking, including freezing of gait. Freezing can mean that people feel ‘glued’ to the floor, which can be a very distressing symptom. Researchers at the University of Exeter worked with a group of people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones to develop a series of videos that coached viewers on how to shift their weight and overcome freezing. The videos were tested in a small study, and 60% of participants found the videos helpful. Now, the team wants to further improve the videos and ensure the resources are accessible to a diverse audience across different communities.

Will shared: “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with our Project Advisory Group of people affected by Parkinson’s and local branches in South West England to develop the ideas for this project. The aim is to provide accessible training that people can use in their own homes to successfully overcome 'freezing of gait' episodes and associated feelings of anxiety”.