Defective synuclein, involved in Parkinson’s disease, could be detected easily and very early. Thus, patients would be better taken care of, before the development of the first symptoms of this pathology.
- The destruction of brain cells in Parkinson’s is thought to be due to defective synuclein accumulation.
- Defective synuclein is present in the nose before the first symptoms of the disease develop.
- Researchers propose to screen for the presence of defective synuclein with a nasal swab test.
According to’Inserm, 100,000 people suffer from Parkinson’s disease in France. It is the second most common degenerative pathology in France, after Alzheimer’s. It is characterized by three main motor symptoms, which make it possible to establish the diagnosis. First of all, akinesia, when the individual feels a slowness in the implementation and coordination of his movements. Then hypertonia, which is an abnormal rigidity of the muscles. And, finally, the tremors which mainly concern the hands and arms. So far, treatments have slowed the progression of the disease, but none have cured it. Screening as early as possible is therefore very important because it allows treatment to begin early.
A faulty version of synuclein destroys brain cells
According to a new study, published in the journal Brain, it would be possible to detect Parkinson’s disease several years before the appearance of the first symptoms, thanks to a nasal swab test. The same technique as that used for screening for Covid-19, with PCR and antigen tests. To reach this conclusion, the researchers looked at synuclein. Inside the brain, Parkinson’s destroys the cells. This phenomenon is due to the accumulation of a defective version of synuclein, which is a particular protein. This would also be present in the nose, which would explain the progressive loss of smell in some patients, several years before the manifestation of motor symptoms.
Traces of defective synuclein in 46% of patients with Parkinson’s
The scientists’ work was first carried out on 63 people who had a sleep disorder that is characterized by oral expression and physical activity during their dreams. This is an early sign of degenerative disease. In these patients – who also suffered from a significant loss of smell – the researchers took samples of cells in their noses, using swabs, in order to detect the presence of defective synuclein. As a result, 44% of participants had it in their nose. In another group, consisting of 41 individuals with Parkinson’s, 46% of them had a defective version of synuclein in their nose. At the same time, 59 people not diagnosed with this pathology were also tested. Only 10% of this third group had defective synuclein in their nose. According to the researchers, these 10% of individuals could be in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease.
A nasal swab test to replace lumbar puncture
The presence of defective synuclein would be one of the neurological causes of the development of Parkinson’s. This would first be present in the nose or the intestine of the patients, and would then spread to the brain and the nervous system. Currently, to screen for the presence of faulty synuclein, doctors take a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from the spine through a lumbar puncture. A binding examination, to be carried out in the hospital and which can be painful. Thus, the solution proposed by these scientists, the nasal swab, would be much faster and easier for patients to perform. But, research still needs to be done to ensure the reliability of these tests.
Once the diagnosis of defective synuclein has been made, several drugs exist to slow its progression. “Early diagnosis will be important in the future when we have better drugsassures Alfonso De Simone, one of the authors of the study. The later the diagnosis, the more the neurons are damaged.” A challenge because Parkinson’s disease is one of the major causes of disability in the elderly. Each year, 8,000 new cases are diagnosed.
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