Laboratory for Early Markers Of Neurodegeneration

• Ora Assais, Lab administrative manager

PhD Srtudents:
Zoya Katzir

Master students:
Ron Monteoriano
Matan Bauter
Tal Tzfoni
Aviv Ziv
Yuval Lachberg
Adi Peleg
Tal Weil

Sara Leviashvili MSc
May Bar-on MSc
Harel Rom MSc
Shiran Shustak MSc
Shani Danziger-Schragenheim, MSc
Rotem Saban, MSc
Mor Yam, MSc
Roni Hacam,MSc
Daniel Postti, MSc
Shira Paz, M.Sc.
Shani Oz, BSc
Batsheva Cohen, FNP-BC, BSN
Tal Kozlovski (Ph.D)
Yevgenia Rosenblum (Ph.D)
Tamara Schechter-Margalit (Ph.D)
Andrew Dagay (Ph.D)
Ori Peleg (Ph.D)

Collaborative project with Biogen aiming to identify prodromal markers of Parkinson’s disease. The study included healthy LRRK2 and GBA mutation carriers, who are individuals at risk for developing Parkinson’s disease. The longitudinal study explored clinical, biological, imaging and digital data

Sleep-related symptoms are one of the most common non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). They have been associated with increased risk of neurodegeneration, cognitive decline, and reduced quality of life. In this study, we are using novel wireless skin electrodes and wearable sensors to provide a “home-based sleep lab test”. The novel electrodes are printed on a thin and soft sticker, and are placed conveniently on the face of the person to enable physiologic recordings (EEG, EOG, EMG) over multiple nights in the home environment. The study aims to evaluate the frequency and severity of sleep abnormalities in patients with PD. The study is funded by the US Department of Defense.

for evaluating neural activation during function

Traditional neuroimaging is limited as it is done while the person is lying down, motionless in the scanner. In recent years, developments in imaging techniques such as Electroenchepalogram (EEG) and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) have paved the way to explore neural function and activation during actual performance. Using these techniques we aim to understand neural dysfunction in different diseases and compensation activation in the face of disease.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and delirium, are unfortunately common, affecting 1.5–54.9% of surgical patients. A recent consensus statement defined postoperative Neuro Cognitive Decline (NCD) as a spectrum ranging from delirium, delayed neurocognitive recovery and POCD. The exact pathophysiology of neurocognitive dysfunction is not clear. This presents a challenge in identifying risk subjects for POCD. In this study we evaluate the predictive value of a novel motor-cognitive test in predicting delirium. This study is a collaborative project with the Surgical, Anestesia and critical care units.

Droby A, Yoffe-Vasiliev A, Atias D, Fraser KB, Mabrouk OS, Omer N, Bar-Shira A, Gana-Weisz M, Goldstein O, Artzi M, Ben Bashat D, Alcalay RN, Orr-Urtreger A, Shirvan JC, Cedarbaum JM, Giladi N, Mirelman A, Thaler A. Radiological markers of CSF α-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson's disease patients. NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2025;11(1):7.
Radiological markers of CSF α-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson’s disease patients

Sosnik R, Fahoum F, Katzir Z, Mirelman A, Maidan I. Key shifts in frontoparietal network activity in Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2025; 11(1):2.
Key shifts in frontoparietal network activity in Parkinson’s disease

Dagay A, Katzav S, Wasserman D, Gnoni V, Mirelman A, Tauman R. Cyclic Alternating Pattern Dynamics in Individuals at Risk for Developing Parkinson's Disease. Ann Neurol. 2025; 98(1)136-146.
Cyclic Alternating Pattern Dynamics in Individuals at Risk for Developing Parkinson's Disease

Mancini M, Hausdorff JM, Pelosin E, Bonato P, Camicioli R, Ellis TD, Klucken J, Gifford L, Fasano A, Nieuwboer A, Kopil C, Klapper K, Kirsch L, Dexter DT, Fuest R, Miller V, Asis A, Müller ML, Stephenson D, Mirelman A. A framework to standardize gait study protocols in Parkinson's disease. J Parkinsons Dis. 2025; 15(1):129-139.
A framework to standardize gait study protocols in Parkinson's disease

Omer N, Droby A, Silbak R, Trablus N, Bar David A, Shiner T, Alcalay Y, Alcalay R, Nathan T, Thaler A, Mirelman A, Gana Weisz M, Goldstein O, Glinka T, Orr-Urtreger A, Giladi N, Bregman N. White matter abnormalities in healthy E200K carriers may serve as an early biomarker for genetic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (gCJD). J Nneurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2024; jnnp-2024-333751.

Thaler A, Anis S, Ponger P, Fay-Karmon T, Livneh V, Faust-Socher A, Greenbaum L, Reiner J, Hilel A, Shabtai H, Alcalay RN, Djaldetti R, Hassin-Baer S, Ezra A, Mirelman A, Giladi N, Gurevich T. Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel for advanced Parkinson's disease: Impact of LRRK2 and GBA1 mutations. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2024; 127:107115.
Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel for advanced Parkinson's disease: Impact of LRRK2 and GBA1 mutations  

Mirelman A, Volkov J, Salomon A, Gazit E, Nieuwboer A, Rochester L, Del Din S, Avanzino L, Pelosin E, Bloem BR, Della Croce U, Cereatti A, Thaler A, Roggen D, Mazza C, Shirvan J, Cedarbaum JM, Giladi N, Hausdorff JM. Digital Mobility Measures: A Window into Real-World Severity and Progression of Parkinson's Disease. Mov Disord. 2024; 39(2)328-338.
Digital Mobility Measures: A Window into Real-World Severity and Progression of Parkinson's Disease

Zifman N, Levy-Lamdan O, Hiller T, Thaler A, Dolev I, Mirelman A, Fogel H, Hallett M, Maidan I. TMS-evoked potentials unveil occipital network involvement in patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease within 5 years of inclusion. NPJj Parkinsons Dis. 2024; 10(10):182.
TMS-evoked potentials unveil occipital network involvement in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease within 5 years of inclusion

Thaler A, Livne V, Rubinstein E, Omer N, Faust-Socher A, Cohen B, Giladi N, Shirvan JC, Cedarbaum JM, Gana-Weisz M, Goldstein O, Orr-Urtreger A, Alcalay RN, Mirelman A. Mild cognitive impairment among LRRK2 and GBA1 patients with Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2024; 123:106970.

Mild cognitive impairment among LRRK2 and GBA1 patients with Parkinson's disease  

Bar-On M, Baharav S, Katzir Z, Mirelman A, Sosnik R, Maidan I. Task-Related Reorganization of Cognitive Network in Parkinson's Disease Using Electrophysiology. Mov Disord. 2023; 38(11):2031-2040.
Droby A, Thaler A, Mirelman A. Imaging Markers in Genetic Forms of Parkinson's Disease. Brain Sci. 2023; 13(8):1212.
Imaging Markers in Genetic Forms of Parkinson’s Disease

Mirelman A, Rochester L, Simuni T, Hausdoff JM. Digital mobility measures to predict Parkinson's disease. Lancet Neurol. 2023; 22(12):1098-1100.
Digital mobility measures to predict Parkinson's disease  

Thaler A, Mirelman A, Alcalay RN. Differences in Sex-Specific Frequency of Glucocerebrosidase Variant Carriers and Familial Parkinsonism. Mov Disord. 2023; 38(4)713-714.
Differences in Sex-Specific Frequency of Glucocerebrosidase Variant Carriers and Familial Parkinsonism

Omer N, Giladi N, Gurevich T, Bar-Shira A, Gana-Weisz M, Glinka T, Goldstein O, Kestenbaum M, Cedarbaum JM, Mabrouk OS, Fraser KB, Shirvan JC, Orr-Urtreger A, Mirelman A, Thaler A. Glucocerebrosidase Activity is not Associated with Parkinson's Disease Risk or Severity. Mov Disord. 2022; 37(1):190-195.
Glucocerebrosidase Activity is not Associated with Parkinson's Disease Risk or Severity

Droby A, Artzi M, Lerman H, Hutchison RM, Bashat DB, Omer N, Gurevich T, Orr-Urtreger A, Cohen B, Cedarbaum JM, Sapir EE, Giladi N, Mirelman A, Thaler A. Aberrant dopamine transporter and functional connectivity patterns in LRRK2 and GBA mutation carriers. NPJ Parkinson Dis. 2022; 8(1):20.
Aberrant dopamine transporter and functional connectivity patterns in LRRK2 and GBA mutation carriers

Maidan I, Hacham R, Galperin I, Giladi N, Holtzer R, Hausdorff JM, Mirelman A. Neural Variability in the Prefrontal Cortex as a Reflection of Neural Flexibility and Stability in Patients With Parkinson Disease. Neurology 2022; 98(8):e839-e847.
Neural Variability in the Prefrontal Cortex as a Reflection of Neural Flexibility and Stability in Patients With Parkinson Disease

Mirelman A, Siderowf A, Chahine L. Outcome Assessment in Parkinson Disease Prevention Trials: Utility of Clinical and Digital
Measures. Neurology 2022; 99(7 Suppl 1):52-60.
Outcome Assessment in Parkinson Disease Prevention Trials

Mirelman A, Ben Or Frank M, Melamed M, Granovsky L, Nieuwboer A, Rochester L, Del Din S, Avanzino L, Pelosin E, Bloem BR, Della Croce U, Cereatti A, Bonato P, Camicioli R, Ellis T, Hamilton JL, Hass CJ, Almeida QJ, Inbal M, Thaler A, Shirvan J, Cedarbaum JM, Giladi N, Hausdorff JM. Detecting sensitive mobility features for Parkinson’s disease stages via machine learning. Mov Disord 2021; 36(9):2144-2155.
Detecting Sensitive Mobility Features for Parkinson's Disease Stages Via Machine Learning

Thaler A, Omer N, Giladi N, Gurevich T, Bar-Shira A, Gana-Weisz M, Goldstein O, Kestenbaum M, Shirvan JC, Cedarbaum JM, Orr-Urtreger A, Regev K, Shenhar-Tsarfaty S, Mirelman A. Mutations in GBA and LRRK2 Are Not Associated with Increased Inflammatory Markers. J Parkinsons Dis. 2021; 11(3):1285-1296.
Mutations in GBA and LRRK2 Are Not Associated with Increased Inflammatory Markers

Maidan I, Zifman N, Hausdorff JM, Giladi N, Levy-Lamdan O, Mirelman A. A multimodal approach using TMS and EEG reveals neurophysiological changes in Parkinson's Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2021; 89_28-33.
A multimodal approach using TMS and EEG reveals neurophysiological changes in Parkinson's disease 

Droby A, El Mendili MM, Giladi N, Hausdorff JM, Maidan I, Mirelman A. Gait and cognitive abnormalities are associated with regional cerebellar atrophy in elderly fallers–A pilot study. Gait Posture 2021;90:99-105.
Gait and cognitive abnormalities are associated with regional cerebellar atrophy in elderly fallers – A pilot study  

Mirelman, A., Hillel, I., Rochester, L., Del Din, S., Bloem, B. R., Avanzino, L., Nieuwboer, A., Maidan, I., Herman, T., Thaler, A., Gurevich, T., Kestenbaum, M., Orr-Urtreger, A., Brys, M., Cedarbaum, J. M., Giladi, N., & Hausdorff, J. M. Tossing and Turning in Bed: Nocturnal
Movements in Parkinson’s Disease. Mov Disord 2020;35(6):959–968
Tossing and Turning in Bed: Nocturnal Movements in Parkinson's Disease