A simple blood test using artificial intelligence could predict Parkinson’s disease seven years before symptoms appear, a study has found.
Scientists at University College London (UCL) and University Medical Center Goettingen, in Germany, found eight blood proteins indicative of Parkinson’s which could help in early diagnosis and treatment to slow or stop the condition in patients. There is currently no easily accessible, cheap and reliable test for Parkinson’s, with diagnosis relying on symptom evaluation.
Study authors Dr Michael Bartl from University Medical Centre Goettingen and Dr Jenny Hallqvist from UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology said: ‘By determining eight proteins in the blood, we can identify potential Parkinson’s patients several years in advance. This means that drug therapies could potentially be given at an earlier stage, which could possibly slow down disease progression or even prevent it from occurring.’
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The researchers collected blood samples from 72 patients with Rapid Eye Movement Behaviour Disorder (iRBD) – a known precursor to Parkinson’s. The patients were followed up over 10 years and a computer algorithm was able to correctly predict the patients who would go on to develop Parkinson’s from their protein profile, detecting this seven years before the onset of any symptoms.
This study comes as scientists are exploring ways to improve speed of diagnosis and looking for novel ways of alleviating symptoms and slowing down disease progression.
Parkinson's affects nearly 10 million people worldwide and more than 150,000 in the UK. The condition is caused by the death of nerve cells in the part of the brain that controls movement. When these nerve cells die or become impaired, they lose the ability to create a chemical called dopamine. People with Parkinson’s are currently treated with dopamine replacement therapy after they have already developed symptoms, such as tremors or slowness of movement.
However, early diagnosis and treatment would help protect the dopamine-producing brain cells.
Professor David Dexter, director of research at Parkinson’s UK, said: ‘This research, co-funded by Parkinson’s UK, represents a major step forward in the search for a definitive and patient-friendly diagnostic test for Parkinson’s. Finding biological markers that can be identified and measured in the blood is much less invasive than a lumbar puncture, which is being used more and more in clinical research.’
The researchers are hoping to secure funding to create a simpler test where a drop of blood can be placed on a card and sent to a lab to test whether it could predict Parkinson’s even earlier than this study and distinguish it from other similar conditions.