Testing saliva can help diagnose Parkinson’s, study finds

News

Author: Joe McAweaneyPublished: 30 January 2020

Prep: Cook: Serves:

A saliva test carried out by doctors may be able to both diagnose Parkinson’s and detect the severity of the condition, according to a recent study published in medical journal ‘Neurological Sciences’.

Several indicators of the development of Parkinson’s, including problems in the production of energy, can be easily detected in saliva.

As part of the study, carried out by a team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, saliva samples were collected from 76 patients living with Parkinson’s, and 37 participants with good general health.

They found that the saliva of those with Parkinson’s reflected evidence of alteration in neurotransmitters – chemical messengers that allow nerve cells to communicate.

The researchers said the test “may highlight the characteristic changes in metabolite levels during the onset of Parkinson’s”.

To read more on this topic click here.

For more information on Parkinson’s diagnosis please visit the EPDA website.

Scotland sees soaring Parkinson’s rate

Last Month

Next Month

Go Back

Share this story

Comments

Recipes & Nutrition

Couscous with chicken, raisins & nectarine in a lemon vinaigrette

This dish combines citrus and sweet fruits rich in vitamins

Watch: 13 people with Parkinson’s on the impact of exercise

How exercise can help manage Parkinson’s symptoms

Recipe: Sweet potato mash with fennel and carrot

This nutritious recipe is tasty and easy to swallow

Stay tuned for series two of the Parkinson’s Life podcast

The award-winning Parkinson’s Life podcast is back this month. Helping to amplify the voices of the international Parkinson’s community, the podcast has so far reached more than 12,000 people around the world. Thanks to the support of pharmaceutical companies, and the backing of a grant from the Boston Scientific Foundation Europe, the second series will bring together people with Parkinson’s disease and experts in their field to explore topics such as sleep hygiene, exercise and mental health, and to offer advice to listeners. Sandrine Bazile, president of the Boston Scientific Foundation Europe, says: “We fully support this project because it mirrors perfectly our mission to improve patient wellbeing using innovative solutions. We believe in the importance of the [Parkinson’s Life] podcast series, with its aim to improve the information and education available to people with Parkinson’s and their families – to help them live life to the full.”

How Parkinson’s disease could impact the way you see art

A new study from a team at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, US, has indicated that Parkinson’s disease could affect the way people experience art. The researchers asked 43 people with the condition and 40 controls to make judgements about 10 paintings by American artist Jackson Pollock and 10 by Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, rating them according to factors including liking, beauty, motion, complexity and colour-saturation. The participants with Parkinson’s showed more of a preference for ‘high-motion’ art. They also showed a lower recognition of movement compared to controls, suggesting that the brain’s motor system may help interpret movement from static visual cues. However, the research team noted that many of the participants were on their usual medication, and that the impact of dopamine agonists on the experience of art would also need to be considered.

Neuroticism may increase risk of Parkinson’s disease, research finds

Researchers at Florida State University, US, have found that neuroticism – a personality trait that affects how people experience negative emotions – is associated with a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The scientists analysed data collected by biomedical database UK Biobank on nearly 500,000 participants aged 40 to 69. Using health records to determine the incidence of Parkinson’s disease in these participants, they found that those who scored in the top quartile of neuroticism were 80% more at risk of developing Parkinson’s than those who scored lower. Antonio Terracciano, lead researcher of the study, said: “Our findings suggest that some emotional vulnerability is present early in life, years before the development of Parkinson’s disease. It kind of gives you a better understanding of the risk factors for the disease and what could be a contributing cause […] The evidence is convincing.”

All fields required

First name*
Last name*
Email address*
Enter Email Confirm Email
Country of residence*
About me*
- I have Parkinson's disease
- I am a partner / carer / family / friend of someone who has Parkinson's
- I am a healthcare professional with an interest in Parkinson's
- I work for a Parkinson's disease organisation
- Other
CAPTCHA
*
- By proceeding you agree to our
Comments
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Testing saliva can help diagnose Parkinson’s, study finds

News

Author: Joe McAweaneyPublished: 30 January 2020

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Recipes & Nutrition

Couscous with chicken, raisins & nectarine in a lemon vinaigrette

Health & Fitness

Watch: 13 people with Parkinson’s on the impact of exercise

Recipes & Nutrition

Recipe: Sweet potato mash with fennel and carrot

Stay tuned for series two of the Parkinson’s Life podcast

How Parkinson’s disease could impact the way you see art

Neuroticism may increase risk of Parkinson’s disease, research finds

{title}

Subscribe

Testing saliva can help diagnose Parkinson’s, study finds

News

Author: Joe McAweaneyPublished: 30 January 2020

Prep: Cook: Serves:

Last Month

Next Month

Share this story

Comments

Related articles

Recipes & Nutrition

Couscous with chicken, raisins & nectarine in a lemon vinaigrette

Health & Fitness

Watch: 13 people with Parkinson’s on the impact of exercise

Recipes & Nutrition

Recipe: Sweet potato mash with fennel and carrot

Stay tuned for series two of the Parkinson’s Life podcast

How Parkinson’s disease could impact the way you see art

Neuroticism may increase risk of Parkinson’s disease, research finds

{title}

Subscribe

Sign in