Dr David Breen

Senior Clinical Research Fellow and Honorary Consultant Neurologist

Biography

I am an academic neurologist in the field of movement disorders, focussing on Parkinson’s disease (PD). I have diverse research interests including studying the influence of sleep and circadian disruption on brain health; studying genetic and environmental PD risk factors using large datasets; and studying neglected non-motor PD features (such as dementia and communication problems). I am driving the development of PD clinical research in Edinburgh and helping to increase clinical trials capacity. I am committed to patient participation in research. 

I studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. I completed neurology and PhD training in Cambridge and London, before moving to Toronto as a post-CCT Edmond J. Safra Movement Disorders Fellow under the mentorship of Tony Lang. I returned to Edinburgh in 2018 and am currently supported by a Wellcome Clinical Research Career Development Fellowship.

NDN Project/Studies

Currently Recruiting

• Probiotic: Investigating the effects of B. Subtilis Bacteria on the microbiome in Parkinson’s Disease
  (Principal Investigator)

Current Project/Grants

Closed to Recruitment/Completed

• 2019: Wellcome Clinical Research Career Development Fellowship, University of Edinburgh (PI: Dr. David Breen). ‘Does sleep and circadian rhythm disruption influence brain health?’,
• 2018: Project Grant, RS MacDonald Seedcorn Fund, University of Edinburgh (PI: Dr. David Breen). ‘Cerebrospinal α-synuclein RT-QuIC in multiple system atrophy: a clinical and neuropathological study’,

Key Publications

• de Abreu, D. C. C., Pieruccini-Faria, F., Sarquis-Adamson, Y., Black, A., Fraser, J., Van Ooteghem, K., … & ONDRI Investigators. White matter hyperintensity burden predicts cognitive but not motor decline in Parkinson’s disease: results from the Ontario Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Initiative. European journal of neurology. View Article