New Blood Test Shows Promise in Diagnosing Parkinson’s Disease
Researchers have announced that a blood test may soon be able to definitively diagnose Parkinson’s disease, according to a recent study. Currently, there is no blood or brain imaging test available for diagnosing the condition. However, the new blood test, which measures DNA damage in the cells’ mitochondria, has shown promise in identifying Parkinson’s disease.
The study, conducted by researchers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, focused on the higher levels of DNA damage known to exist in people with Parkinson’s disease. Previous research conducted by the same group revealed a cluster of mitochondrial DNA damage in the brain tissue of individuals who had died with the disease.
“Our goal is to get this [blood test] to the bedside as quickly as possible,” stated study author Laurie Sanders, an associate professor of neurology and pathology at the New York School of Medicine. The availability of a clear diagnosis would accurately identify patients who could participate in clinical drug trials, leading to the development of better treatments and potentially even cures.
In addition to demonstrating its effectiveness in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, the blood test was also able to identify high levels of damaged DNA in the blood of individuals with a genetic mutation known as LRRK2. This mutation has been linked to an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
While the blood test shows promising results, it still requires further validation as a biomarker for Parkinson’s disease. “Their blood-based approach has a long way to go before validation as a biomarker,” commented a specialist who was not involved in the study.
However, the blood test’s potential extends beyond diagnosis. By targeting the LRRK2 mutation, researchers were able to test a therapy that showed lower levels of mitochondrial DNA damage in treated cells compared to untreated ones. This indicates the potential for future drug therapies that could inhibit LRRK2 and prevent DNA damage.
Dr. Michael Okun, medical adviser to the Parkinson’s Foundation, noted the significance of the blood-based approach. “One thing that was very attractive about their blood-based approach was that they could potentially determine whether or not a person may or may not have a response to a particular form of drug therapy for Parkinson’s disease,” he said.
Despite these promising developments, the blood test is still in the early stages of development. Further research, including larger samples and testing in an independent cohort, is necessary to validate its effectiveness as a biomarker for Parkinson’s disease.
More information about diagnosing Parkinson’s disease can be found on the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease Research website. The study detailing the blood test was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine on August 30, 2023.