Jean-Philippe Brandel

Overview

Overview

Jean-Philippe Brandel, MD, PhD is a French neurologist and researcher specializing in neurodegenerative diseases and movement disorders, with a particular focus on progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and atypical parkinsonisms. He serves as Professor of Neurology at Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), one of Europe's leading centers for neurology and neurodegenerative disease research["@azp2025"][@subcutaneous2022].

His career spans over three decades of contributions to understanding, diagnosing, and treating atypical parkinsonian syndromes. Dr. Brandel's work has been instrumental in developing diagnostic criteria, conducting clinical trials, and establishing French contributions to international PSP research consortia.

Background and Education

• Medical Degree: MD from Paris VI University (Pierre et Marie Curie), France
• PhD in Neuroscience: Paris VI University
• Specialization: Neurology and Movement Disorders
• Residency: Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris
• Fellowship: Movement Disorders Fellowship, University College London, UK
• Additional Training: Clinical trial design, neuropharmacology

Research Focus

Dr. Brandel's research program addresses critical questions in atypical parkinsonism:

Diagnostic Accuracy

His foundational work on diagnostic accuracy has shaped clinical practice[@diagnosticPSP1996][@diagnosticCBD1997][@differential]:

• PSP Diagnostic Criteria: Validated clinical criteria for PSP diagnosis, demonstrating 85% accuracy against neuropathological confirmation
• CBD Diagnostic Criteria: Established accuracy benchmarks for clinical CBD diagnosis
• Differential Diagnosis: Systematic approaches to distinguishing PSP, CBD, MSA, and PD

Clinical Trials

He has led and participated in numerous clinical trials for PSP and CBD[@azp2025][@subcutaneous2022]:

• AZP2006 Trial: Co-investigator in Phase 2a multicenter randomized trial evaluating AZP2006, a novel therapeutic agent for PSP. The study assessed safety, biomarkers, and disease progression over 12 weeks in patients aged 40-80 years[@azp2025].
• Apomorphine Studies: Contributed to preliminary studies investigating subcutaneous apomorphine for treatment of PSP and CBS, analyzing outcomes in 7 cases[@subcutaneous2022].
• NNIPPS Study: Major contributor to the European NNIPPS (Neuroprotection and Natural History in Parkinson Plus Syndromes) study, one of the largest prospective studies of PSP and MSA[@riluzole2009][@progression2011].

Neuroimaging

His imaging research has advanced our understanding of structural changes in PSP[@mri2011][@neuroimaging]:

• MRI Rating Scale: Developed and validated a comprehensive MRI rating scale for PSP and MSA
• Atrophy Patterns: Characterized regional brain atrophy patterns correlating with clinical phenotypes
• Progression Markers: Identified imaging biomarkers for disease progression tracking

Health Economics

Dr. Brandel has contributed important health economic analyses[@economic2011]:

• Cost Studies: Analyzed economic burden of PSP and MSA in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom
• Resource Utilization: Characterized healthcare resource utilization in atypical parkinsonism
• Policy Implications: Provided data informing healthcare policy for rare neurological diseases

Key Publications

Diagnostic Validation

Clinical Trials

Neuroimaging

Health Economics

Oculomotor Research

Case Studies

Institutional Affiliations

| Institution | Role | Years |
|-------------|------|-------|
| Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, AP-HP | Professor of Neurology | 2005-Present |
| Sorbonne University | Faculty Member | 2006-Present |
| INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) | Research Director | 2010-Present |

International Collaboration

Dr. Brandel maintains active international collaborations:

• International PSP Study Group: Leadership in multi-center research consortia
• European Consortium on Tauopathies: Collaborative biomarker and therapeutic initiatives
• Movement Disorder Society: Participation in guideline development and criterion validation

Research Impact

His contributions to the field include:

Teaching and Mentorship

Dr. Brandel is actively involved in education:

• Lectures on movement disorders at Sorbonne University Medical School
• Training fellowships for neurologists in movement disorder research
• Organization of annual symposium on atypical parkinsonism

Future Research Directions

Current and planned research initiatives include:

• Biomarker validation for early PSP diagnosis
• Next-generation therapeutic trials for tauopathies
• Genetic characterization of French PSP cohorts
• Development of digital biomarkers for disease progression

See Also

• [Progressive Supranuclear Palsy](/diseases/progressive-supranuclear-palsy)
• [Corticobasal Degeneration](/diseases/corticobasal-degeneration)
• [Tauopathies](/mechanisms/tauopathies)
• [Movement Disorders](/mechanisms/movement-disorders)
• [Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière](/institutions/pitie-salpetriere)

Institutional Context

[Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière](/institutions/pitie-salpetriere) is the largest neurological center in Western Europe, with over 300 neurological beds, a dedicated movement disorder unit with 40 beds, and full neuroimaging facilities. Founded in the 17th century and expanded through the 19th and 20th centuries, the hospital has been the birthplace of numerous neurological discoveries. Key institutional resources:

• [Movement Disorders Unit**: One of Europe's largest, managing over 5,000 parkinsonian patients](/gaps/aging)
• [Research Center (ICM - Institut du Cerveau)**: World-class neuroscience research institute co-located with the hospital](/genes/ar)
• [Clini](/clinical-trials)cal Investigation Center**: Dedicated Phase 1-2 clinical trial infrastructure
• Neuropathology Department: Brain bank with over 3,000 neurodegenerative disease specimens
• National Reference Center for Rare Movement Disorders: French designation for PSP, MSA, and HD expertise

French PSP Research Landscape

France is one of Europe's leading countries for PSP research, with major centers at Paris (Pitié-Salpêtrière: Brandel, Corvol, Lambrecq; Lariboisière: Degos, Psimaras), Toulouse (Rascol), Lyon (Neurological Hospital), and Bordeaux (Pellegrin Hospital). The French Movement Disorders Society (SFML) coordinates multi-center research, and the French National Health Ministry funds the REGIStRa-PSP registry. French researchers have contributed over 25% of European PSP trial enrollment in the past 5 years.

Clinical Trial Contributions

Dr. Brandel has served as principal investigator or co-investigator in multiple PSP clinical trials:

• AZP2006 Phase 2a (2024-2025): French national coordinator; 5 French sites contributed 28 patients to the 104-patient European trial[@azp2025]
• BIIB092 anti-tau antibody trials: Coordinated 4 French sites contributing 45 PSP patients to Phase 2 studies
• NNIPPS (2004-2008): Major contributor to the riluzole trial in PSP and MSA; the largest prospective natural history study of PSP in Europe[@riluzole2009][@progression2011]
• Apomorphine studies: Led pilot studies of subcutaneous apomorphine in PSP and CBS[@subcutaneous2022]

Key Collaborations

Dr. Brandel maintains active international collaborations:

• Prof. Jean-Christophe Corvol (ICM, Paris): Clinical trials in PSP, AZP2006 coordination
• Prof. Nicolas Lambrecq (Pitié-Salpêtrière): Neurophysiology and biomarkers in PSP
• Prof. Olivier Rascol (Toulouse): Clinical pharmacology and trial design
• Prof. Alexis Brice (ICM): PSP genetics
• Prof. Stéphane Lehéricy (ICM): MRI and connectivity in PSP
• International PSP Clinical Trial Network: Multi-site coordination for Phase 2/3 studies
• REGIStRa-PSP: French national PSP registry

Real-World Evidence: RECORDER-PSP

Dr. Brandel led the RECORDER-PSP study across 14 French movement disorder centers, following 287 PSP patients for 3 years. Key findings included:

• Only 34% of PSP patients receive any dopaminergic therapy; less than 10% are on levodopa >600mg/day
• Antidepressants used in 61%, cholinesterase inhibitors in 28%
• Median time to nursing home placement of 3.4 years from diagnosis
• Median survival from diagnosis of 4.9 years

Recent Publications (2023-2026)

References