Researchers identify biomarkers active during early disease phase and say clinical testing could be possible within five years.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have identified blood-based biomarkers that could detect Parkinson’s disease up to 20 years before motor symptoms develop, according to a study published in npj Parkinson’s Disease.
The research team used machine learning to discover distinct gene activity patterns linked to DNA damage repair and cellular stress response in patients during the early phase of Parkinson’s disease. These patterns were not found in healthy individuals or patients who already had symptoms.
“By the time the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease appear, 50-80% of the relevant brain cells are often already damaged or gone. The study is an important step towards facilitating early identification of the disease and counteracting its progression before it has gone this far,” says Danish Anwer, a doctoral student at the Department of Life Sciences at Chalmers and the study’s lead author, in a release.
The discovery reveals what researchers call a critical window of opportunity for early detection and potential intervention. The biomarkers are only active during the early disease phase and disappear as the condition progresses, making them unique indicators of the disease’s onset.
Blood-Based Screening Could Enable Widespread Testing
Unlike other Parkinson’s biomarkers that require brain imaging or cerebrospinal fluid analysis, these markers can be detected through blood samples, potentially enabling cost-effective population screening.
“In our study, we highlighted biomarkers that likely reflect some of the early biology of the disease and showed they can be measured in blood. This paves the way for broad screening tests via blood samples: a cost-effective, easily accessible method,” says Annikka Polster, assistant professor at the Department of Life Sciences at Chalmers, who led the study, in a release.
The research addresses a significant clinical need, as no established screening method currently exists for detecting Parkinson’s disease before it causes substantial brain damage. The condition affects more than 10 million people globally, with cases expected to more than double by 2050 as populations age.
Clinical Testing Timeline and Treatment Implications
The research team projects that blood tests for early Parkinson’s diagnosis could begin clinical testing within five years. The researchers plan to further investigate the underlying mechanisms and develop more sensitive detection tools.
The findings could also inform drug development efforts. Because the biomarkers reflect active biological processes during early disease stages, they may help identify therapeutic targets for preventing or slowing disease progression.
“If we can study the mechanisms as they happen, it could provide important keys to understanding how they can be stopped and which drugs might be effective. This may involve new drugs, but also drug repurposing, where we can use drugs developed for diseases other than Parkinson’s because the same gene activities or mechanisms are active,” says Polster in a release.
The study was conducted in collaboration with Oslo University Hospital in Norway and funded by multiple organizations including the Michael J Fox Foundation and the Swedish Research Council.
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