Second most common neurodegenerative disease according to Inserm, Parkinson’s disease affects around 200,000 people in France. It is characterized by degeneration of dopamine neurons, which affects motor functions. The Pasteur Institute points out that it is a slowly progressive disease and that the first symptoms appear when about half of the dopamine neurons have already been destroyed. There is therefore a real challenge to detect the risks of Parkinson’s onset years in advancein order to slow the development of the disease.
It is the object ofa study published on June 18, 2024 in the journal Nature Communications, who tested the potential of a new method to detect Parkinson’s disease years before the first symptoms. Indeed, thanks to artificial intelligence, scientists have been able to identify a combination of 8 proteins present in modified quantities in Parkinson’s patients and which allows diagnose the disease with 100% accuracy. Then, to test the effectiveness of these markers, they analyzed the blood of 72 patients suffering from rapid eye movement behavior disorder, which results in uncontrolled movements during normally still dream phases. Indeed, according to current research, 75 to 80% of people with this disorder are likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.
Early detection of Parkinson’s: a promising new method according to scientists
At the end of the analysis of the blood of the test patients, 79% of them were identified as having the same profile as a person with Parkinson’s, that is to say they presented the same 8 proteins in similar quantities. Then, they were followed for 10 years and to date, researchers correctly predicted Parkinson’s in 16 people, up to 7 years before the first symptoms appeared. “By determining 8 proteins in the blood, we can identify potential Parkinson’s patients years in advance”, said Dr. Michael Bartl, one of the authors of this work, in a press release.
According to the scientist, “this means that drug treatments could be administered at an earlier stage, allowing slow the progression of the diseaseor even prevent it from happening”. These results are therefore promising for the authors of the study, who hope soon develop a blood test and test it on people at high risk of Parkinson’s. “While new therapies are available to treat Parkinson’s disease, we need to diagnose patients before they develop symptoms”, concludes Kevin Mills, another author of this research.
Sources :
- Plasma proteomics identify biomarkers predicting Parkinson’s disease up to 7 years before symptom onset – Nature Communications – 18 juin 2024
- Blood test could predict Parkinson’s seven years before symptoms – UCL News – 18 juin 2024
- Parkinson’s disease – Inserm
- Parkinson – Institut Pasteur
