According to a new study published in the journal The Lancet Neurology, researchers from the US have developed a new technique to identify the buildup of abnormal protein deposits linked to Parkinsons disease. The technique called alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay (Alpha Syn-SAA) can accurately detect people with neurodegenerative diseases.

The researchers suggested that it can identify at-risk individuals and those with early, non-motor symptoms before the diagnosis. The findings of the study suggested that the AlphaSyn-SAA technique was highly accurate at detecting the biomarker for Parkinson`s regardless of the clinical features, thereby accurately diagnosing the disease in patients at early stages.

In the study, the technique was assessed with the help of 1,123 participants enrolled in the study; the participants were diagnosed with Parkinsons disease as they were found to be at risk of the disease due to the presence of variants, namely GBA and LRRK2, linked to the condition.

The researchers found that the AlphaSyn-SAA technique was able to identify people with Parkinson`s disease with an accuracy rate of 88%. However, the accuracy varied when calculated in terms of the gene variants. The accuracy rate was 96% for people with the genetic variant GBA, compared to 68% for those with LRRK2.

The clinical aspect that most strongly predicted a positive AlphaSyn-SAA result was the loss of smell, which is one of the most prevalent symptoms among prodromal individuals and those who have been diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. 

(Source: https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1070041 )