Collaborating Across Global Borders to Improve Understanding of Parkinson Disease: Samia Ben Sassi, MD

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"I'd say that over the last 20 years, the [movement disorder] landscape has changed dramatically. In the early 2000s, collaboration relied mainly on personal initiatives and small informal networks. But now we've moved into a more organized, formal phase, with large consortia, open data initiatives, and shared biobanks."

At the 2025 International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders (MDS), held October 5-9, in Honolulu, Hawaii, a plenary session reviewed the contributions of regional and global research to the understanding of movement disorders. Chaired by Fay Gao, MD, and Njideka Okubadejo, MD, the session highlighted findings from the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, which established a reference standard for epidemiological cohort studies, as well as research from the Pacific region, including studies on X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism, PINK1 mutations, and lytico-bodig. Together, these global studies provided insights into disease mechanisms, prevalence, and genetic risk factors and inform research and clinical practice internationally.

The session also addressed the role of international collaboration in advancing genetic discoveries, developing therapeutic strategies, and standardizing clinical care for movement disorders, specifically Parkinson disease (PD). Presenters included Samia Ben Sassi, MD, Raymond Rosales, MD, PhD, and George Ross, MD, with expert panelists Veronica Santini, MD, MA, and Oluwadamilola Ojo, MBBS, MD, FMCP. Throughout the session, speakers emphasized strategies to address disparities in access to research and clinical resources, highlighting ongoing efforts to promote equity in the study and management of movement disorders worldwide.

At the Congress, NeurologyLive^® spoke with Sassi, a professor of neurology at the University Tunis El Manar and head of neurology department at the Mongi Ben Hmida National Institute of neurology, to discuss the evolution of PD research over the past 2 decades. She explained that global initiatives support standardized data collection and have facilitated the identification of genetic variants such as LRRK2 and GBA1. According to Sassi, these discoveries contribute to therapeutic strategies and emphasize the importance of organizations like the International Parkinson and MDS in developing harmonized diagnostic criteria and clinical guidelines globally.

Click here for more coverage of MDS 2025.

REFERENCES
1. Sassi SB, Santini V, Ojo O. Global Collaboration Efforts. Presented at: International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders; October 5-9, 2025; Honolulu, HI. Movement Disorders Across Borders: Shaping the Future. Plenary Session 5207.