According to a new study published in Neurology, Serum neurofilament light (NfL), a measure of axonal injury, was linked to incident Parkinson′s disease, parkinsonian symptoms, and a reduction in physical performance. The concentration of NfL in blood was determined using an ultrasensitive immunoassay.

Among 1,254 participants, 77 were diagnosed with Parkinson′s disease and parkinsonian signs. People who had NfL values in the highest quartile at the start of the study had a considerably higher risk of getting Parkinson′s disease later on than those who had NfL values in the lowest quartile. The annual rate of physical functioning deterioration increased by 0.15 units among patients with twofold greater blood NfL concentrations at baseline. People with twofold greater NfL levels were likewise more likely to show indications of Parkinson′s disease. In the third and fourth NfL quartiles, there was a significant graded correlation with parkinsonian symptoms in all domains.

It was observed that serum Nf-L was linked to the incidence of clinical PD, parkinsonian symptoms, and physical functioning deterioration. Researchers concluded that Nf-L could be used as a biomarker for neurodegeneration, including the progression of Parkinson′s disease.

(MedPage Today April 15, 2022); Neurology 2022; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200338.