Gender and Hormonal Differences in Parkinson's Disease

描述（由申请人提供）：这份申请是针对Rachel Saunders-Pullman博士的职业发展，作为一名临床研究员，研究激素对帕金森病和其他神经退行性疾病的影响。在此资助期间，她将专注于性别差异和激素在帕金森病（PD）发展中的作用。由于激素生理复杂，雌激素化合物既可致癌也可有益，因此评估雌激素的作用和性别差异以及临床试验的规划需要多学科的知识和培训。候选人通过研究、课程、讲座和查房的综合计划，构建了一个培训计划，重点领域包括流行病学、神经科学和神经内分泌学、认知和运动障碍。她的主要赞助人理查德·利普顿博士将监督这些方法和候选人在流行病学和认知方面的发展以及整体培训。联合发起人苏珊·布雷斯曼博士将在运动障碍领域提供指导。由Anne Etgen博士、Nanette Santoro博士和Charles Hall博士组成的顾问团队将分别在神经科学、神经内分泌学和生物统计学方面提供专业知识。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is directed to the career development of Dr. Rachel Saunders-Pullman as a clinical researcher in the study of hormonal effects on Parkinson's Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. During the period of this grant she will focus on gender differences and the role of hormones in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). As hormone physiology is complex, and estrogenic compounds can be carcinogenic as well as beneficial, the assessment of the role of estrogen and gender differences and the planning of clinical trials requires multi-disciplinary knowledge and training. The candidate has constructed a training program with areas of emphasis in epidemiology, neuroscience and neuroendocrinology, cognition and movement disorders using an integrated plan of research, coursework, lectures, and rounds. Her primary sponsor, Dr. Richard Lipton will oversee the methods and the candidate's development in epidemiology and cognition as well as the overall training. The co-sponsor, Dr. Susan Bressman will provide guidance in the field of movement disorders. A consultant team of Dr. Anne Etgen, Dr. Nanette Santoro and Dr. Charles Hall will complement with expertise in neuroscience and neuroendocrinology and biostatistics, respectively. In order to address gender related differences in risk of PD and clinical features of PD, and whether hormonal factors account for these differences, three separate studies with differing study designs are proposed. These studies were designed to provide complementary answers to specific research questions and to give the candidate hands-on, mentored exposure to three major types of epidemiologic research 1) a clinic-based prospective study of gender differences in the natural history and disease course in early PD, 2) a case-control study of pharmacy records to assess whether exogenous estrogen decreases the risk of PD and 3) a cross-sectional and a prospective evaluation of the role of gender and endogenous hormone levels on motor control measures in aging and pre-clinical parkinsonism in an established cohort study. Through the aggregate of the training program and supervised research, the candidate will emerge as an independent researcher well prepared to answer questions of the role of hormones in neurodegenerative diseases and movement disorders.