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Understanding Parkinson’s in Black and African American communities

Researchers across United States centres study the experiences and features of Parkinson’s in Black and African American people.

Learning by observing or collecting information · Study reference: NCT06719583

Plain-language introduction written with AI from the registry; not independently checked by a clinician. Read the original details below ↓

This registry record was last updated over six months ago, or its update date is missing. Recruitment may have changed. Confirm with the team before making plans.

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Looking for volunteers

Start (reported actual date)
2020-11-16
Main measurements finished (planned)
2027-12-31
Study finished (planned)
2027-12-31

Planned dates can move. A study finishing does not tell us when a paper will be published.

No results summary has been confirmed in the registry records we imported. See connected papers below; we keep checking after recruitment ends.

Changes we have recorded
  • 2026-10-11 — recruiting

These are dates we observed a change, not necessarily the dates it happened.

Papers connected to this study

No connected paper has been found yet. The tracker checks the growing library for study identifiers and registry-linked publications.

Who can join?

Age 18 years and over · Also accepts healthy volunteers

These are starting points, not the full rules. The research team can tell you whether the study is right for your situation.

Read all the rules for taking part

Sex eligibility reported by registry: all

Inclusion Criteria for Control Participants: * Ability to provide informed consent * Age 50 years or older * Self-identify as Black or African American Exclusion Criteria for Control Participants: * Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease and/or neurological condition * Familial history of PD and/or neurodegenerative or psychiatric conditions * Unknown family history of PD and/or neurodegenerative or psychiatric conditions * Any conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, preclude the individual's ability to carry out study activities * If submitting a saliva sample, nothing by mouth (food, drink, gum, tobacco, or smoking) for 30 minutes prior to sample collection Inclusion Criteria for Participants with a Diagnosis of PD: * Ability to provide informed consent * Age 18 years or older * Self-identify as Black or African American * Meet the Movement Disorder Society's clinical diagnostic criteria for Parkinson's disease Exclusion Criteria for Participants with a Diagnosis of PD: \- If submitting a saliva sample, nothing by mouth (food, drink, gum, tobacco, or smoking) for 30 minutes prior to sample collection
Full study name & original research details

Official study title

Black and African Americans Connections to Parkinson's Disease (BLAAC PD) A Project of the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2)

Short title used by the registry

Black and African Americans Connections to Parkinson's Disease (BLAAC PD)

Original description

BLAAC PD is a research study to understand what Parkinson's disease looks like for Black and African American communities. BLAAC PD is happening at research centers around the United States. The study is part of the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2). GP2 is a research project working to transform understanding of the genetics of Parkinson's disease and make that knowledge globally relevant.

Further description from the registry

Research studies have found connections between genes and Parkinson's disease (PD). But those results have mostly come from studies with non-Black or African American volunteers. BLAAC PD aims to learn more about gene changes that may cause Parkinson's in Black and African American people. Study volunteers at sites across the United States will attend one visit and will give either a blood or saliva sample, complete a smell test, and may be asked to complete a physical exam. This new data could lead to future Parkinson's tests and treatments for Black and African American people and it may help better understand disease in other groups, too. This pioneering initiative will fill a gap of knowledge about PD in Black and African American people.

Conditions reported: Parkinson Disease

Registry records for this study

Records are joined using registration identifiers. Titles alone do not establish that two studies are the same.

Study type
Observational
Interventions
Not reported
Phases
Not reported
Sponsor
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Start date reported by registry
2020-11-16 (actual)

Registry updated: 2026-02-27 · Status last verified by the registry submitter: 2026-02

Registry records retrieved 2026-10-13 (UTC). Individual records may have older updates. Recruitment and eligibility must be confirmed with the study team.

Contact the research team

Public study contacts supplied to the registry. Ask whether recruitment is still open and what participation involves.

Naomi Louie, MPH RDN · 212-509-0995 · nlouie@michaeljfox.org

Study locations

Site status can differ from overall study status. “Status not reported” means local availability needs confirmation. Remote participation and travel arrangements must be checked with the team.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Recruiting

Joseph Richardson · 205-934-0074 · jhrichardson@uabmc.edu

Lauren Ruffrage · 205-934-5954 · lruffrage@uabmc.edu

Marissa Dean, MD

David Standaert, MD, PhD

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida, United States

Recruiting

Randy Foli · 352-733-2433 · randy.foli@neurology.ufl.edu

Emily Reynolds · 352-733-2338 · Emily.Reynolds@neurology.ufl.edu

Ashley Rawls, MD

Lauren Fanty, MD

Rush University

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Recruiting

Jacqueline Vanegas · 312-563-0679 · jacqueline_vanegas@rush.edu

Deborah Hall, MD

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Recruiting

Hanna Gilluly · 773-633-8412 · hlancerio@bsd.uchicago.edu

Tao Xie, MD, PhD

Mahesh Padmananban, MD

Ochsner Clinic Foundation

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Recruiting

Dominique Thomas · 504-842-3980 · dominique.thomas3@ochsner.org

Julia Staisch, MD

Sarah Breaux, MD

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport

Shreveport, Louisiana, United States

Recruiting

April Strickland · 318-813-3610 · april.strickland@lsuhs.edu

Elizabeth Disbrow, PhD

University of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Recruiting

Christina Cooper · 410-328-7817 · ChristinaCooper@som.umaryland.edu

Rebecca Weimer · 410 328-1883 · rweimer@som.umaryland.edu

Lisa Shulman, MD

Rainer von Coelln, MD

Kaiser Permanente Midatlantic States

Rockville, Maryland, United States

In progress; recruitment closed

Washington University in St. Louis

St Louis, Missouri, United States

Recruiting

Coordinator · 314-273-5262 · NIL-BLAACPD@email.wustl.edu

Scott Norris, MD

Erin Foster, PhD, OTD-L

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Recruiting

Ashley Hawkins · 216-844-2327 · ashley.hawkins2@uhhospitals.org

Camilla Kilbane, MD

Mohamed Elkasaby, MD

Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Recruiting

Lisa Heidelberg · 843-792-6463 · heidelbe@musc.edu

Vanessa Hinson, MD

Andrew Ameri, MD

University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Houston, Texas, United States

Recruiting

Natalia Pessoa Rocha · 713 500 7496 · natalia.pessoarocha@uth.tmc.edu

Erin Furr Stimming, MD

Shivika Chandra, MD

Natalia Pessoa Rocha, PhD

Facility not reported

United States

Status not reported

The original descriptions and participation rules come from the registry. Participation is voluntary and does not guarantee benefit.