Blood test helps detect Parkinson's disease early

(PLVN) - According to a new study published in the journal Nature Aging, researchers have developed a simple and "cost-effective" blood test that can detect Parkinson's disease before symptoms appear.

In the UK, around 153,000 people suffer from Parkinson's disease - a progressive neurological condition in which nerve cells in the brain gradually degenerate, causing a lack of dopamine leading to loss of physical motor function.

The new test, which costs £80, analyses tiny pieces of genetic material called transfer RNA fragments (tRFs) in the blood, focusing on repetitive RNA sequences that build up in Parkinson’s patients. It also looks for the depletion of mitochondrial RNA, which is depleted as the disease progresses. Mitochondria are the parts of cells that produce energy.

By measuring the ratio between these biomarkers, the test “offers a highly accurate, non-invasive, rapid, and cost-effective diagnostic tool, offering hope for early intervention and treatment of the disease.”

Accordingly, the test achieved an accuracy of 0.86 on a scale of 1, higher than current clinical diagnostic methods (0.73 points). The testing technology uses PCR techniques similar to those used in Covid-19 testing, which amplifies genetic material to easily detect the disease.

“This discovery is a major step forward in our understanding of Parkinson’s disease and opens up the possibility of early diagnosis using a simple, minimally invasive blood test,” said Professor Hermona Soreq of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who supervised the study. “By focusing on tRFs, we have opened a new window to study the molecular changes that occur in the early stages of the disease.”

“This study provides a new perspective in the search for biomarkers for Parkinson's disease. However, further research is needed to test and evaluate them, especially their ability to differentiate Parkinson's disease from other diseases with similar symptoms,” said Professor David Dexter, director of research at Parkinson's UK.

Minh Anh (translator)

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/xet-nghiem-mau-giup-phat-hien-som-benh-parkinson-post545270.html