A new study finds way in the identification of Parkinson’s Disease.

According to International Data’s, more than 10 million people around the world are living with Parkinson’s disease — a neurological disease that negatively impacts a person’s movement and speech abilities.

Although still now, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, and there are no specific tests to help diagnose the condition, identifying warning signs of Parkinson’s disease as early as possible is critical in helping to slow disease progression.

However, a new study has identified a way to detect the condition before symptoms appear through the use of skin swabs via sebum and smell. The swabs could offer a noninvasive way to help diagnose Parkinson’s disease in people who have not yet developed symptoms. The same was reiterated by the analytical and measurement science at the University of Manchester.

The research study reveals, that Skin Swabs of the Sebum, an oily substance which protects the skin from pathogens like Bacteria and Fungi, detected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the sebum. Different VOCs have a distinct smell, which is what helps make each person’s body odor unique. The study further demonstrates that there are few compounds those which are expressed differently in people with Parkinson’s disease compared to healthy controls as well as those who had REM sleep behavior disorder. A test that is a simple skin swab can potentially be the first test to detect Parkinson’s before all the clinical signs start appearing.

Sebum compound levels indicate the Koch Bacteria –

The study commenced way back in 2019, following which the Researchers recruited 83 study participants. Of this number, 46 had a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, 28 were healthy controls, and nine had isolated REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (iRBD), which is considered to be an early warning sign of Parkinson’s disease.

Upon analysis, the team found that 55 significant features in the sebum that varied between the groups, and those with iRBD had levels in between those with Parkinson’s disease and the healthy controls.

There were 55 features that showed levels for iRBD between healthy and Parkinson’s disease. iRBD is one of the prodromal symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which indicates – a good proportion of individuals suffering from iRBD may develop Parkinson’s disease in the next decade or more. The intermediate level indicates a progression from control to iRBD to Parkinson’s disease.”

Early detection can mitigate and offer advanced clinical tests, specialist support for confirmatory diagnosis without relying on physical symptoms to appear. It has demonstrated to create a potential in developing disease-modifying therapies in the future.

The Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) found in the Sebum also helps in barging upon the vulnerability of the Parkinson’s Disease. The molecules seen on the skin surface may indicate the progression of Parkinson’s disease. A sudden, rapid progression could be monitored in future using such markers on the skin surface. There is also a potential to monitor the efficacy of treatment by such an approach.

Team Maverick