A new blood test may be able to predict whether a person will go on to develop Parkinson's disease up to seven years before any symptoms arise.
"We cannot regrow our brain cells and therefore we need to protect those that we have," Mills said."At present, we are shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted and we need to start experimental treatments before patients develop symptoms."Parkinson's disease affects more than 8.5 million people worldwide and causes over 300,000 deaths per year — and this annual rate is rapidly increasing.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.In the new study, published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, researchers identified eight proteins whose levels were significantly different in the blood of people with Parkinson's disease than in those without.
For 47 people, the AI flagged at least one blood sample as predictive of Parkinson's, forecasting the eventual onset of the condition. The scientists have been following up with these patients, and so far, 11 have gone on to develop Parkinson's disease and five developed a related condition called dementia with Lewy bodies.