This study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is focused on Parkinson’s Disease (PD), a brain disorder that affects movement. The research uses a special scan called Positron Emission Tomography (PET) combined with a tracer called [18F]DPA-714 to look at brain inflammation. Inflammation in the brain is when parts of the immune system, like microglia (a type of brain cell), become too active. The goal is to see if people with PD have more brain inflammation than healthy people.

Participants will be divided into three groups: 100 PD patients and 100 healthy volunteers for a baseline study, 67 PD patients for a follow-up study after 5 years, and 5 PD patients for a special analysis. The study checks if the brain’s inflammation affects PD symptoms over time.

• Participants will have a one-time PET/MRI scan and provide blood and spinal fluid samples.
• Follow-up scans for some participants will occur about 5 years later.
• There are no restrictions based on age, sex, or ethnicity, but participants must be 30 or older.