Published Friday, 20 April 2012

Researchers from around the world are coming together to study Parkinson's (Getty)

The announcement was made at a special event at Queen's University, as part of Parkinson's Awareness Week.

Parkinson's UK says the research study will boost the chances of finding a cure to stop the devastating symptoms, including tremors, mood changes, movement difficulties, loss of smell and speech problems.

The charity is looking to recruit up to 3,000 sufferers throughout the UK, who are at an early stage of the condition, for the study called 'Tracking Parkinson's'.

The aim of the 1.6m study is to identify elusive biomarkers and develop simple tests, like blood tests, to diagnose the disease.

We could identify some of the problems and, moving forward, we could actually treat Parkinson's rather than the symptoms, and that would be a cure.

Kieran Breen, Director of Research and Innovation at Parkinson's UK

As part of the study, the responses to treatments for tremors, movement problems, anxiety, memory lapses and digestion problems will be closely monitored for up to five years.

"Studies like 'Tracking Parkinson's' could make a huge difference and help us to ultimately find a cure," said Dr Kieran Breen.

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NI in Parkinson's research world first