Katharina Buczek
Remarkably, the test was successful and clearly distinguished Parkinson’s patients from healthy individuals.
So, the research team moved on to using computer models to pinpoint the most indicative proteins – narrowing it down to a panel of eight. A model based on just these proteins could accurately identify Parkinson’s in the test group 100% of the time.
The researchers also applied the test to samples collected from a separate group of 54 people who had RBD. The test was able to identify nearly 80% of these individuals as having a Parkinson’s disease-like protein signature up to seven years prior to being diagnosed based on presenting movement symptoms.
Despite this not being perfect, the test is still paving the way for a screening tool that can help identify people at high risk and allow for earlier interventions.
Still, there were some limitations in this study. Primarily, the RBD diagnosis was based on neurological exams and sleep tests as opposed to brain autopsies. This means some participants might have had another underlying condition.
Furthermore, RBD is only one pathway to Parkinson’s disease. So, further research with larger groups is necessary to determine if the protein signature is consistent across different patient types and demographics.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Nature Communications, visit the link here.
