🎙️ We’re back with the twenty-sixth episode of Parkinson Weekly, hosted by Prof. Bas Bloem.

In Episode 26, Prof. Bloem explores a thought-provoking shift in how we understand Parkinson’s disease progression.

Inspired by a 2024 study published in Brain by Martin Johansson and colleagues, the episode examines whether we may have been focusing too heavily on the substantia nigra — and overlooking the crucial role of the brain’s cortex.

Drawing on data from the Parkinson Precision Project, the study suggests that faster disease progression may be driven more by a breakdown in cortical compensation than by continued degeneration in the basal ganglia.

Prof. Bloem discusses what this could mean for future disease-modifying strategies, and why approaches that support or protect cortical function — including exercise — may become increasingly important.

A short but impactful episode that challenges conventional thinking and opens new directions for Parkinson’s research.

Article can be found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37757883/

And don’t forget, you can listen here:

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/34ec09bc-c8b8-4a28-a12b-ca8aae3edd57/parkinson-weekly?ref=dm_sh_BpcE171Aj6Bvc6jQNKL90yl8o

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5FVqV671ESQ5VxbncsIxIS?si=a29cb8d5e72640de

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/parkinson-weekly/id1836115672

Have a question you’d like Bas to answer in a future episode? Email us at parkinsonweekly@gmail.com – we’d love to hear from you.