EP 26 - Article Of The Week: Clinical severity in Parkinson's disease is determined by decline in cortical compensation

April 1, 2026

🎙️ We’re back with the twenty-sixth episode of Parkinson Weekly, hosted by Prof. Bas Bloem.In Episode 26, Prof. Bloem explores a thought-provoking shift in how we understand Parkinson’s disease progression.Inspired by a 2024 study published in Brain by Martin Johansson and colleagues, the episode examines whether we may have been focusing too heavily on the substantia nigra — and overlooking the crucial role of the brain’s cortex.Drawing on data from the Parkinson Precision Project, the study suggests that faster disease progression may be driven more by a breakdown in cortical compensation than by continued degeneration in the basal ganglia.Prof. Bloem discusses what this could mean for future disease-modifying strategies, and why approaches that support or protect cortical function — including exercise — may become increasingly important.A short but impactful episode that challenges conventional thinking and opens new directions for Parkinson’s research.Article can be found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37757883/Have a question you’d like Bas to answer in a future episode? Email us at parkinsonweekly@gmail.com – we’d love to hear from you.