This is an exploratory study and the information obtained may lead to new findings regarding the inflammatory and neurodegenerative mechanisms in the progression of PD and help to develop new drugs to halt the disease progression. The study simply involves a one time blood draw.

A number of veterans suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS), a devastating and debilitating disease for which there is not cure or significant treatment. The only therapy available is immunomodulatory, but does not treat the neurodegeneration. The studies proposed in this application will develop therapeutic strategies and identify a drug that ameliorates inflammation as well as neurodegeneration in the disease. Thus, the effect of this drug will not only help veterans with MS, but will also benefit individuals with the disease in general.