New Blood Test Predicts Parkinson's Disease Seven Years Before Symptoms Appear: A Game Changer in Early Detection

Accuracy of 100% for PD diagnosis, 79% for predicting conversion from iREM to PD
Could lead to earlier intervention, improved quality of life, and potentially preventative measures
Identified in patients with PD and premotor iREM condition
New blood test predicts Parkinson's disease seven years before symptoms appear
Uses artificial intelligence to identify eight biomarkers in blood
New Blood Test Predicts Parkinson's Disease Seven Years Before Symptoms Appear: A Game Changer in Early Detection

Parkinson's Disease: New Blood Test Predicts Seven Years Before Symptoms Appear

Recent research has shown promising results in the development of a blood test that can predict Parkinson's disease (PD) up to seven years before symptoms appear. The test, which uses artificial intelligence to identify a panel of eight blood biomarkers, may revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat this debilitating neurodegenerative disorder.

According to studies published in various scientific journals, researchers have identified 23 distinct proteins that are consistently dysregulated in patients with PD compared to healthy controls. Six of these proteins were also shown to be dysregulated in patients with premotor isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iREM), a condition that is often a precursor to PD.

The model was able to identify 100% of the patients with PD based on the expression of these eight biomarkers and predict which patients with iREM would convert to PD with an accuracy of 79%. Most of these markers robustly correlated with clinical scores on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale and Mini-Mental State Examination.

The potential implications of this discovery are significant. Currently, there is no cure for PD, and no treatment can slow or stop its progression. Symptoms include tremors, low movement, stiffness and tension in muscles, difficulty moving around or making facial expressions. The main cause of PD is the loss of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine due to the build-up of a protein called alpha-synuclein.

Early diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and management of PD. With this new blood test, researchers hope to identify patients at risk before they develop symptoms, enabling them to enroll in clinical trials of treatments aimed at slowing or halting the disease process.

The development of a simple and non-invasive diagnostic tool for PD is an exciting prospect for both patients and healthcare professionals. It could lead to earlier intervention, improved quality of life, and potentially even preventative measures. However, larger trials are needed to validate the accuracy of this test in a broader population.

Sources:

  1. Nature Communications: Plasma proteomics identify biomarkers predicting Parkinson's disease up to 7 years before symptom onset
  2. Science Alert: New Test Detects Parkinson's 7 Years Before Most Symptoms Show

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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Are the results of the study reproducible in a larger population?
  • What is the specificity of the test for PD versus other neurological conditions?

Sources

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Parkinson's blood-test hope for treatment research

BBC News Site: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68702081, About Us URL: https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/ Philippa Roxby Wednesday, 19 June 2024 10:08
  • Unique Points
    • Researchers have developed a blood test using artificial intelligence to predict Parkinson’s disease years before symptoms begin.
    • Eight major proteins most likely to predict who would develop the condition were identified.
    • The test may be able to tell the difference between Parkinson’s and other similar conditions.
    • There is no cure for Parkinson’s, and no treatment to slow or stop the disease. Symptoms include shaking, low movement, stiffness and tension in muscles, difficulty moving around or making facial expressions.
    • The main cause of Parkinson’s is the loss of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine due to the build-up of a protein called alpha-synuclein.
    • Using the AI tool, the researchers correctly predicted 16 out of 72 patients at risk of brain disorders such as Parkinson’s would develop the disease up to seven years before symptoms began.
    • The researchers plan to create a simpler test where a drop of blood on a card can be posted to the lab for earlier prediction.
    • Prof David Dexter, research director at Parkinson’s UK, said the findings add to an exciting flurry of recent activity towards finding a simple way to test for and measure Parkinson’s.
  • Accuracy
    • The test identified eight major proteins most likely to predict who would develop the condition, which were directly linked to inflammation and degradation of proteins.
    • Using the AI tool, the researchers correctly predicted 16 out of 72 patients at risk of brain disorders such as Parkinson’s would develop the disease up to seven years before symptoms began.
    • The test may be able to tell the difference between Parkinson’s and other similar conditions.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Plasma proteomics identify biomarkers predicting Parkinson’s disease up to 7 years before symptom onset

Nature Magazine Mollenhauer, Brit Wednesday, 19 June 2024 10:09
  • Unique Points
    • Peripheral fluid biomarkers, which are less invasive and easier to obtain, could be used in repeated and long-term monitoring for population-based screenings for upcoming neuroprotective trials.
    • “Alpha-synuclein aggregation induces neurodegeneration and activates inflammatory events which may be an early and potentially initial step in a pathophysiological cascade leading to downstream alpha-synuclein aggregation.”
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    No formal fallacies found. Some informal fallacies and inflammatory rhetoric present. Dichotomous depictions and appeals to authority not found.
    • ]Introduction Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex and increasingly prevalent neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS).[/im
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

New Test Detects Parkinson's 7 Years Before Most Symptoms Show

ScienceAlert Tessa Koumoundouros Wednesday, 19 June 2024 00:04
  • Unique Points
    • Researchers have identified a series of blood markers that betray the presence of Parkinson’s disease up to 7 years before most symptoms present.
    • University College London biochemist Jenny Hällqvist and colleagues used machine learning models to find eight proteins in our blood that change as Parkinson’s disease progresses.
    • These eight biomarkers allow predicting which patients with REM sleep disorders will go on to develop Parkinson’s disease with nearly 80% accuracy.
    • Two of the biomarkers, HSPA5 and HSPA1L, signal the endoplasmic reticulum is in a stressed condition due to misfolded α-synuclein protein.
  • Accuracy
    • The researchers identified 23 potential biomarkers, which they narrowed down to the most reliable combination of eight using machine learning.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

AI-enhanced blood test may detect Parkinson’s years before onset

theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government Ian Sample Tuesday, 18 June 2024 15:00
  • Unique Points
    • A blood test that uses artificial intelligence can predict Parkinson’s disease up to seven years before symptoms appear, according to researchers.
    • The test is designed to work on equipment already found in many NHS laboratories and could be available to the health service within two years.
    • There are currently no drugs to protect the brain from Parkinson’s, but an accurate predictive test would enable clinics to identify people who could benefit from clinical trials of treatments aimed at slowing or halting the disease.
    • In one patient, the test correctly predicted Parkinson’s more than seven years before symptoms appeared.
    • If validated by other groups, the test could diagnose Parkinson’s at its earliest stages, allowing patients to enroll in clinical trials when the disease process has just begun.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains a few informal fallacies and appeals to authority. It also uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing Parkinson's as the 'world's fastest growing neurodegenerative condition'. No formal logical fallacies are present in the author's statements.
    • . . . it’s always better to do prevention rather than cure.
    • Parkinson’s is not a single disease but a syndrome and can present in various different ways.
    • The process does help us have a group of people with Parkinson’s who may be ready or suitable for future trials of neuroprotective molecules.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

89%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Blood Biomarker Panel May Predict Parkinson's Years in Advance

Medscape Patrice Wendling Wednesday, 19 June 2024 10:14
  • Unique Points
    • A panel of eight blood biomarkers may predict Parkinson’s disease (PD) up to 7 years before the development of motor symptoms or dementia with Lewy bodies.
    • The study identified 23 distinct proteins involved in inflammatory pathways, Wnt-signaling, and coagulation cascade that were consistently dysregulated in patients with PD compared with healthy controls.
    • Six of these proteins were also shown to be dysregulated in patients with premotor isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iREM).
    • The model was able to identify 100% of the patients with PD based on the expression of the eight proteins and predict with 79% accuracy which patients with iREM would convert to PD.
    • Most of the markers robustly correlated with clinical scores on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale and Mini-Mental State Examination.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (50%)
    The article makes several statements that could be considered deceptive according to the analysis rules. The author uses emotional manipulation by describing the discovery as a 'big step' and a 'milestone.' She also uses sensationalism by suggesting that the new test can predict Parkinson's disease up to 7 years before symptoms appear. Additionally, there is selective reporting of data, as the article only mentions the proteins that were identified in patients with PD and iREM, without mentioning any proteins that were not significantly dysregulated. The author also uses editorializing language when she describes the new test as a 'game-changer' and a 'big step.'
    • Our panel of proteins is also more dynamic and involves the pathophysiology.
    • The model was able to identify 100% of the patients with PD based on the expression of the eight proteins and predict with 79% accuracy which patients with iREM would convert to PD up to 7 years before the onset of motor symptoms.
    • This is a big step because for the first time we are working with peripheral fluids and have a test that can predict something in an objective way.
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains a few instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority, but no formal fallacies were found. The author presents a new study that discovered a panel of eight blood biomarkers which can predict Parkinson's disease years before the development of motor symptoms or dementia with Lewy bodies. The article discusses the limitations of previous diagnostic methods and explains the process and results of this new study, including its potential implications for clinical trials and treatment options.
    • This is a big step because for the first time we are working with peripheral fluids and have a test that can predict something in an objective way.
    • Our panel of proteins is also more dynamic and involves the pathophysiology.
    • We know that isolated REM sleep disorder is a strong predictor of the disease and we wanted to see if maybe there is something in common.
    • This is quite an amazing study because diagnosis of Parkinson's disease using biomarkers is actually quite challenging, especially compared to other diseases.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication