A new AI-based blood test that reads eight blood proteins predicted Parkinson’s disease up to seven years before symptoms appeared. Researchers from UCL and University Medical Center Göttingen published it in Nature Communications.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are two very common neurodegenerative diseases (diseases that wear down the brain). They affect millions of lives around the world. Worse, the number of new cases is on the rise.
After more than a century of research, science still knows little about why diseases like Parkinson’s begin. There are few treatment options and no cure.
One reason these brain diseases are so hard to treat is that they are found very late. By the time symptoms show up, precious time to protect key brain parts has been lost.
If doctors can find Parkinson’s early, they can manage it better. This may also help find a cure.
One way to find Parkinson’s early is to test cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid around the brain and spine). But this test does not work for screening large groups. Simpler blood tests are needed. Researchers now think they have found them.
Can a blood test detect Parkinson’s before symptoms?
A team from UCL and University Medical Center Göttingen has built an AI-based blood test. It can predict Parkinson’s disease up to seven years before symptoms appear.
Today, Parkinson’s treatment focuses on replacing dopamine after symptoms like tremors and memory problems show up. Early warning is key. It gives time to protect these brain cells and test treatments to slow or stop the disease.
The study, published in Nature Communications, used machine learning to read eight blood markers. It diagnosed Parkinson’s with 100% accuracy. The AI tool also predicted the odds of getting Parkinson’s. It did this from blood samples of patients with isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). That sleep problem often comes before Parkinson’s. The AI found the same marker pattern as Parkinson’s in 79% of iRBD patients. Over ten years, the AI’s calls matched what really happened. It correctly predicted that 16 patients would go on to Parkinson’s, up to seven years before symptoms.
Dr. Michael Bartl, a co-first-author of the study, pointed out that identifying eight blood proteins lets doctors spot likely Parkinson’s patients early. That allows earlier treatment to slow or prevent the disease.
The markers are tied directly to processes like inflammation and protein breakdown. That makes them new drug targets. The team, including Professor Kailash Bhatia, is now double-checking the test’s accuracy. They are testing high-risk people with gene changes linked to Parkinson’s. They also aim to build a simpler blood spot test to catch it even earlier.
Why does early detection of Parkinson’s matter?
Right now, drugs can help manage Parkinson’s symptoms. But they do little to stop the disease from getting worse. New tests can find high-risk patients early. Then the focus can shift to stopping the disease before it advances.
These new tests are fairly simple. So they could soon be used to screen large groups of high-risk people. They would also change research into neurodegenerative diseases. Tests built for early detection can do more than catch the disease early. They might also change how it is treated.
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Frequently asked questions
Would Parkinson’s show up in blood work?
In this research, yes. Researchers from UCL and University Medical Center Göttingen used machine learning to read eight blood proteins. In their study, the test diagnosed Parkinson’s with 100% accuracy. Until now, early detection has relied on testing cerebrospinal fluid. That does not work for screening large groups. The team is still checking the blood test in high-risk people with gene changes linked to Parkinson’s.
What is the newest test for Parkinson’s disease?
The newest is an AI-based blood test that reads eight blood proteins, published in Nature Communications. It predicted Parkinson’s up to seven years before symptoms appeared. The proteins it measures are tied to inflammation and protein breakdown. So they also point to new drug targets. The researchers are now working on a simpler blood spot test to catch it even earlier.
Is REM sleep behavior disorder an early sign of Parkinson’s?
It often comes first. REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) often shows up before Parkinson’s. So the researchers ran the AI test on blood from people with it. The test found the same protein pattern as Parkinson’s in 79% of them. Over ten years of follow-up, its calls matched what really happened. It correctly flagged 16 patients who went on to Parkinson’s up to seven years before symptoms.
Can Parkinson’s disease be cured?
No. There is no cure, and treatment options are few. Treatment today centers on replacing dopamine after symptoms such as tremors and memory problems show up. Drugs manage symptoms but do little to stop the disease from advancing. That is why early detection matters. Finding high-risk people years ahead gives doctors a window. They can protect brain cells and test treatments that slow or stop the disease.
Source:
Hällqvist, J., Bartl, M., Dakna, M., Schade, S., Garagnani, P., Bacalini, M.-G., Pirazzini, C., Bhatia, K., Schreglmann, S., Xylaki, M., Weber, S., Ernst, M., Muntean, M.-L., Sixel-Döring, F., Franceschi, C., Doykov, I., Śpiewak, J., Vinette, H., Trenkwalder, C., … Mollenhauer, B. (2024). Plasma proteomics identify biomarkers predicting Parkinson’s disease up to 7 years before symptom onset. Nature Communications, 15(1), 4759. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48961-3
Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP
