In the future, a new three-minute test for Parkinson’s disease might assist medical professionals in managing the condition, for which there is no known cure. There hasn’t even been a test to see if someone has it up until now.
Currently, symptoms, medical history, and other details are used to diagnose the chronic and progressive illness. Tremors, rigidity, delayed movement, and changes in gait are some of the symptoms of the illness, which affects a little section of neurons that assist regulate smooth muscle movement.
According to new research that was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, doctors may now quickly identify Parkinson’s patients. After a skin sample is examined for changes in the chemical composition of sebum, a natural waxy oil produced by the skin, it can take as little as three minutes.
The neurologist Monty Silverdale of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, one of the researchers, stated in Science Alert that “this test has the potential to substantially improve the diagnosis and care of persons with Parkinson’s disease.”
The examination is quick and non-invasive, but according to Science Alert, “the scientists still need to show that they can scale up the operation and get it working outside of laboratory conditions.”
Chemist Perdita Barran, also of the University of Manchester, stated, “We are really excited by these results, which get us closer to establishing a diagnostic test for Parkinson’s disease that might be used in clinic.”
