1  Dataset Overview

This section provides a comprehensive comparison of the four major Parkinson’s disease datasets covered in this guide. Use these tables to quickly determine which dataset best suits your research question.

1.1 Metatable of Study Characteristics

This table enables researchers to determine which data best suits their research question of interest. It provides an overview of the types of analyses supported, sizes of the respective cohorts, modalities of data available, and the clinical features each study covers.

NoteData Currency

These data are accurate as of April 2024.

1.1.1 Types of Analyses Supported

Analysis Type PPMI (Clinic) AMP PD (Aggregated) GP2 FOX INSIGHT
Polygenic risk score generation Yes Yes Yes Yes
Genome-wide association studies Yes No (only WGS or GWAS w/federated GP2 data) Yes -
Cross-sectional Yes Yes Yes Yes
Longitudinal Yes Yes No Yes

1.1.2 Cohort Sizes

Population PPMI AMP PD GP2 FOX INSIGHT
PD 1,521
(902 PD, 619 prodromal)
3,375 24,709 (genotyped)
2,324 (WGS)
38,635
(10,669 genotyped + 419 microbiome)
Non-PD 237 7,100 17,246 (genotyped)
17,246 (WGS)
16,168

1.1.3 Modalities of Data

Data Type PPMI AMP PD GP2 FOX INSIGHT
Genetic data Yes Yes Yes Yes
Biologic data Yes Yes No No
Imaging data Yes No No No
Patient-reported outcome data Yes (via PPMI-Online) No No Yes
Microbiome data (stool) Yes No No Yes

1.1.4 Types of Clinical Data Present

Clinical Feature PPMI AMP PD GP2 FOX INSIGHT
Motor Yes Yes Yes Yes
Non-Motor Yes Yes Yes Yes
Quality of Life No Yes Some Yes
Cognition Yes Yes Yes Yes

1.2 Dataset Features Visualization

The following graphic provides a visual overview of clinical and omics features across different datasets in relation to number of different features and dataset sample size.

  • Solid-filled bubbles correspond to datasets that possess longitudinal data
  • Gradient-filled bubbles correspond to datasets only with cross-sectional data
Bubble chart comparing dataset features
Figure 1.1: Dataset features comparison showing the relationship between number of features and sample size across the four datasets

1.3 Choosing the Right Dataset

When selecting a dataset for your research, consider:

  1. Research Question - Does your question require longitudinal data, imaging, or specific biomarkers?
  2. Sample Size - Do you need large cohorts for genetic studies or smaller, well-characterized cohorts?
  3. Data Modalities - What types of data (clinical, genetic, imaging, etc.) does your analysis require?
  4. Population Diversity - Does your research benefit from diverse ancestries (GP2) or specific cohorts?
  5. Access Requirements - What are the time and resource constraints for data access?

1.4 Next Steps

Explore the detailed chapters for each dataset:

  • AMP PD - Harmonized multi-cohort dataset with proteomics and transcriptomics
  • PPMI - Longitudinal cohort with comprehensive neuroimaging
  • GP2 - Large-scale genetics program with diverse populations
  • FOX INSIGHT - Online longitudinal study with patient-reported outcomes