There is a need to develop new treatments for patients with Parkinson's disease that either influence the progression of the disease or tackle the motor and non-motor symptoms that disable people in the advanced stages of the illness. Prof Foltynie is chief investigator for a series of trials of Exenatide- a potential neurorestorative treatment for PD, as well as the lead clinician at UCL for a multicentre trial of fetal dopaminergic cell transplantation for PD, and 2 trials of Deep Brain stimulation as a treatment for the cognitive problems associated with advanced PD/Dementia with Lewy bodies. Prof Foltynie has also led a trial of Deep Brain Stimulation for the treatment of patients with severe Tourette syndrome.

Aside from trial involvement, PD patients with and without DBS are being recruited to research looking at the influence of genetics on PD risk and clinical progression, and the use of functional imaging to explore the mechanism of action of DBS surgery.