Cerebral Spinal Fluid Biomarker flags Parkinson’s Pathology years before symptoms appear

Cerebral Spinal Fluid Biomarker flags Parkinson’s Pathology years before symptoms appear

Picture of Dr Alison Green and Dr Renata Riha

Dr Alison Green and Dr Renata Riha (both Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences) have published a longitudinal observational study in Lancet Neurology that paves the way for an early diagnostic test for Parkinson’s.

Using Real time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) a test for misfolded protein, they have detected alpha -synuclein in the CSF of patients with isolated rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder (IRBD), years before clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies emerged.

This finding is the first step towards the development of a biomarker for conditions such as Parkinson's or dementia with lewy bodies, which are collectively known as alpha-synucleinopathies because they are characterised by the abnormal accumulation of apha-synuclein aggregates.

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2021