Neurodegenerative diseases are progressive disorders of the brain that can lead to dementia, including highly-prevalent conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. A better understanding of the risk factors for these conditions could allow individuals and their families to learn about disease and plan for the future together – and potentially open the door to slowing or stopping the disease process through therapeutic approaches. The Luxembourg Healthy Ageing study, which was launched on 1 October, is a national online survey focused on detecting risk factors for developing age-related neurodegenerative diseases, and exploring methods for risk assessment and prediction. This concerted effort will lead to the creation of a European hub for risk screening for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, allowing people at high risk to benefit from further clinical assessments and facilitating early detection.
The Healthy Ageing survey is addressed to residents in Luxembourg and the Greater Region between 50 and 80 years old and not diagnosed with Parkinson's, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The study involves an online questionnaire, with some participants invited for further follow-up at the National Center of Excellence in Research on Parkinson’s Disease (NCER-PD) in Luxembourg. Supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) in New York (USA), a major actor in research on Parkinson’s disease worldwide, the project will create synergies between neurodegenerative disease research centers in different European countries including Germany, Austria, Spain and Luxembourg. Find out more: https://www.heba.lu/en/
