PICC is a dynamic international collaboration, uniting six population-based Parkinson's disease (PD) incidence cohorts in Northern Europe. This collaboration offers a distinctive opportunity to delve into the nuances of PD prognosis and disease progression.
The Chair of the PICC Steering Group is Dr. Carl Counsell (University of Aberdeen) and more information about the collaboration can be found at the PICC homepage: Parkinson's Incidence Cohorts Collaboration (PICC) (abdn.ac.uk)
Investigating Disease Progression
Understanding the trajectory of PD is crucial for generating comprehensive insights into how the disease evolves over time. PICC aims to provide robust data that not only sheds light on the impact of PD on patients and their families but also identifies factors influencing prognosis. This wealth of information contributes to the refinement of clinical trial designs, making them more efficient, and lays the foundation for advancing personalized medicine.
Advantages of Population-Based Approach
By methodically recruiting and tracking all new PD cases within a specific population over a defined period, PICC cohorts minimise selection bias. This method ensures that the cohorts are not only representative of the broader population with PD but also deliver more reliable estimates of prognosis compared to other study designs.
Collaborating Partners
The six cohorts comprising the PICC study are hosted at esteemed institutions, including the University of Aberdeen, the University of Stavanger, the University of Cambridge, Newcastle University, the University of Bergen, and Umeå University. These hubs form the backbone of a collaborative effort dedicated to unraveling the complexities of PD progression.
Key funding sources
The participation of ParkWest in PICC is made possible through support from the Norwegian Research Council and the Norwegian Health Association.