- Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 10 million people worldwide.
- Symptoms, which include tremors, muscle stiffness, and impaired mobility, are believed to be caused by build up of alpha-synuclein fibrils that impair the function of nerve cells.
- There are currently no diagnostic tests for Parkinson’s disease, meaning that doctors usually diagnose the disorder by taking a person’s medical history and carrying out a neurological examination once symptoms are advanced.
- Now, researchers have developed a technique to detect and quantify alpha-synuclein fibrils, which may lead to early tests to diagnose Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that results in tremors, muscle stiffness, slow movement, and impaired balance and coordination.
It is most common in people over the age of 60 years, although early-onset Parkinson’s, which often has a genetic component, can affect people under 50 years old.
Symptoms occur when nerve cells in the part of the brain that controls movement are damaged or die, and stop producing the neurotransmitter dopamine, leading to problems with movement.
The damage is caused when a protein,
Typically, physicians diagnose Parkinson’s by taking a person’s medical history, assessing their symptoms, and carrying out a neurological examination. However, a firm diagnosis usually depends on the patient’s response to medication for Parkinson’s disease.
Now, a research team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard has developed a molecular assay test that…
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