Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) are progressive neurodegenerative disorders. PD causes stiffness, tremor, and slowness of movement. PSP is characterised by supranuclear gaze palsy, postural instability, and cognitive dysfunction. No disease-modifying therapies currently exist.
1 in 37 people in the UK will be diagnosed with PD within their lifetime and over 10 million people are living with PD worldwide. PSP is a rarer, atypical parkinsonian disorder, affecting approximately 10–12 people per 100,000.
The standard tools for diagnosing and tracking the progression of PD and PSP are clinical rating scales. Rating scales are based on subjectivity, sometimes leading to misdiagnoses. More accurate and objective measures are urgently needed to facilitate the development and clinical trialling of new treatments.

The Oxford Quantification in Parkinsonism (OxQUIP) study was established with the primary aim of utilising digital technology to develop objective biomarkers to accurately diagnose, differentiate, and track treatment response and progression of PD and PSP patients.

Timeline of the OxQUIP study from 2016 to 2026. Phase 1 block in blue running fro 2016 to 2020. Phase 2 block in orange running from 2021 to 2024. Phase 3 in green running from 2025 onwards.

Through engagement of a range of patient groups, measurement of cognitive and motor features, and the development of machine learning pipelines, OxQUIP has made significant strides in elucidating objective metrics for tracking these conditions. Further advancement of our work will lead to a greater understanding of these conditions both in research and for those living with PD and PSP, ultimately leading to more successful clinical trials and the development of novel therapies.

Focus Areas