Utilizing Blink Technology for Parkinson's Disease

Blinkcns explores the complexities of Parkinson's Disease and how the eye blink reflex technology could provide solutions using a more rapid and objective approach.

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The Challenges of Parkinson's Diagnosis and Management

Parkinson's Disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement. It's characterized by tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement, and balance problems. The symptoms of Parkinson's develop gradually over time and worsen as the disease progresses.

Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for the management of neurological disorders, symptoms, and treatment plans. However, identifying Parkinson's in its early stages can be quite challenging for several reasons:

  • Subtle symptoms that can mimic those of other conditions; others may not manifest until the disease has progressed significantly

  • Lack of a single, definitive test. Doctors rely on a combination of clinical observation, medical history, and specialized assessments.

The Facts

Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson's disease. This number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030.

Parkinson's is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease.

Nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with PD each year.

More than 10 million people worldwide are living with PD.

Several years can pass before Parkinson's is diagnosed, and people already live with the symptoms and restrictions during that time.

The incidence of Parkinson’s disease increases with age, but an estimated 4% of people with PD are diagnosed before age 50.

The combined direct and indirect cost of Parkinson’s is estimated to be nearly $52 billion per year in the U.S. alone.

Medications alone cost an average of $2,500 a year, and therapeutic surgery can cost up to $100,000 per person.

The Blink Research:
Our Integration and Approach

Parkinson's patients experience a long and frustrating journey following the presentation of initial symptoms. There is a strong bibliography that supports the potential role of the blink reflex in the diagnosis and management of Parkinson’s disease.

Their technology revolves around a "blink test" in neurology – the EyeStat system. By measuring the blink reflex, it provides an objective way to detect abnormalities in brainstem function, potentially serving as a biomarker for Parkinson's disease in its early stages when symptoms are subtle. Additionally, the eye reflexes can be measured repeatedly, allowing healthcare professionals to monitor disease progression over time and potentially adjust brain disorder treatment plans as needed. This blink scanner is a non-invasive and objective approach to monitoring Parkinson's disease - a game-changer that offers a potentially easier and more convenient way to analyze the blink data and track the condition compared to traditional methods.

Research collaborations with pharmaceutical and academic organizations

Pharmaceutical trials to improve the study population selection and improve therapeutic efficacy

Working to develop and quantify EyeStat to be a new biomarker for Parkinson's Disease

Preparing to use EyeStat in Telehealth, Point of Care, and home markets to monitor Parkinson's remotely

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Parkinson’s Scientific Advisors

Fidias Leon-Sarmiento, MD, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology Medical University of South Carolina
Fidias Leon-Sarmiento, MD, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology Medical University of South Carolina

Fidias Leon-Sarmiento. MD, PhD is a senior research investigator at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. He started this position after receiving training in movement disorders at the National Institutes of Health and obtaining a PhD in neurophysiology from Kagoshina University, Japan. Dr. Leon-Sarmiento has pioneered the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells) and direct current stimulation to study sensory and motor changes that occur in Parkinson's disease. Much of his current research focuses on human corticospinal (brain system) physiology (function), particularly brainstem and spinal cord reflexes. He presently spearheads the Smell and Taste Center's efforts to determine the role of the brainstem in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. He recently discovered that olfactory (sense of smell) dysfunction is an early indicator of myasthenia gravis and Chaga's disease, among others. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and has received numerous awards for his scientific achievements, including multiple awards from international institutions.

Matteo Bologna, MD, Ph.D.
Researcher at the Sapienza University of Rome; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry
Matteo Bologna, MD, Ph.D.
Researcher at the Sapienza University of Rome; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry

After completing the School of Medicine in 2003, Dr. Matteo Bologna started a Neurology Residency at the Department of Neurology and Psychiatry at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy in 2004 where he performed several studies using kinematic techniques.  He then joined the Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience & Movement Disorders at the University College of London, UK in 2008 where he had an extensive training on transcranial magnetic stimulation technique, under the guidance of Professor John C Rothwell. His research activities combine both neurophysiological and kinematic techniques and clinical aspects related to the field of Movement Disorders, particularly on Parkinson’s disease.

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