White blood cells could help diagnose people at risk of Parkinson’s, study finds

News

Author: Saskia MairPublished: 30 April 2020

Parkinson's LifePrep: Parkinson's LifeCook: Parkinson's LifeServes:

Scientists in the US have found additional evidence for the link between immune cells and Parkinson’s ­– alongside signs of autoimmunity present in individuals years before their Parkinson’s diagnosis.

The study – conducted by researchers from La Jolla Institute for Immunology and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, US – revealed a higher count of T cells (a type of white blood cell) in participants at the time of diagnosis but showed that few still had these cells 10 years later.

Dr Alessandro Sette, who co-led the study, said: “This tells us that detection of T cell responses could help in the diagnosis of people at risk or in early stages of [Parkinson’s] disease development.

“Importantly, we could dream of a scenario where early interference with T cell responses could prevent the disease from manifesting itself or progressing.”

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


Read more:

Can detecting voice changes improve early Parkinson’s diagnosis?

Plant-based compounds could treat chronic pain in Parkinson’s, study finds

Go Back

Share this story

Comments


Related articles


Ciara Clancy

Interviews

Move to the beat: meet the Parkinson’s physio behind award-winning mobility app

Giving Parkinson’s patients “the tools to take control”

READ MORE
Robert Cochrane Boys of Summer

Interviews

Meet the filmmaker documenting his father’s Parkinson’s journey

Robert Cochrane tells us about his documentary series on Parkinson’s

READ MORE
Manon Day Parkinson's Life

Women and Parkinson's

“Incompetence, racism and prejudice delayed my diagnosis”

Manon Day on being a young black woman with Parkinson’s

READ MORE