What Is the Blood Test for Parkinson's Disease?

According to the National Parkinson's Foundation, there is no specific blood test available that can confirm Parkinson's disease. Any blood test performed is merely done to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms being experienced. However, in May of 2007, Medical News Today released an article stating that a new blood test for Parkinson's may now be on the horizon. This potential new marker for Parkinson's is based on analysis of a protein found in the brain of those who already have this disease.

Lewy Bodies and a New Blood Test

• Parkinson's disease is basically characterized by two activities: the formation of Lewy bodies and the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells (neurons). Lewy bodies, a simple term used to express its official medical name (fibrillar intraneuronal inclusions) are protein growths that play a significant role in the development of Parkinson's.
  Therefore, a potential new blood test geared at detecting the presence of Lewy bodies would be extremely helpful in diagnosing Parkinson's, as well as assessing the probable development stage being experienced.

Alpha-Synuclein

• Alpha-Synuclein (also known as a-synuclein) is a protein found in the brain. No one knows how this protein operates within a healthy brain; however, it is known that it is part of the protein clumps present in Lewy bodies, which are present in the brains of those suffering from Parkinson's disease.
  It is also known that two mutations of this protein have been linked to a rarer (early onset) type of Parkinson's and that a new blood test being created to measure this protein should prove useful in Parkinson diagnosis in the future.

New Blood Test Findings

• Scientists at Lancaster University are hopeful over their recent discovery: that Alpha-Synuclein, a protein found in the brains of those with Parkinson's disease (and a component of Lewy bodies), is also detectable during blood testing.
  Researchers at Lancaster compared the blood samples of Parkinson's patients with samples of those not afflicted with the disease and learned that levels of one particular form of Alpha-Synuclein is altered in the blood samples of Parkinson's patients, but it is not in those who don't have the disease. Thus scientists are hopeful that testing for this particular protein form in the blood will produce the reliable marker needed to clinically diagnose Parkinson's.

Blood Test Research Funding

• 396,000 British pounds have been awarded to Professor David Allsop and his team of scientists at Lancaster due to their discovery that a form of Alpha-Synuclein can be detected in blood samples.
  These funds were awarded in order to aid them in their pursuit of further exploration about this potential Parkinson's marker. In addition to this funding, the team is also receiving funding from a drug manufacturer (860,000 pounds) to perform drug trials on a potential new Parkinson's drug. The new drug being created is hoped to one day slow further deterioration of the affected brain nerve cells found in Parkinson's patients or prevent the loss altogether.

New Blood Test Study Objectives

• According to Professor Allsop, there will be three objectives in this new research to seek a Parkinson's disease marker. First, blood samples will be taken from a group of individuals who suffer from Parkinson's and other degenerative neurological conditions. These samples will be tested for Alpha-Synuclien levels. Second, blood samples will be taken from a small population of those already diagnosed with Parkinson's. This population group, part of a longitudinal study, will have their blood tested periodically. And the third study to be conducted will actually be a drug trial comprised of 200 people with Parkinson's disease.