New Discovery Means Parkinson's Could Be Diagnosed With a Swab in Just 3 Minutes

Scientists have developed a quick, reliable method of identifying people with Parkinson's disease, thanks to being able to diagnose a condition early.

The test can be done in 3 minutes. Changes in the chemical mix of the natural oil produced by the skin that has been linked to Parkinson's can be analyzed.

There is no conclusive test for Parkinson's disease at the moment, as specialists look at symptoms, medical history, the results of a lengthy physical examination, and a brain Scan to diagnose the condition.

Monty Silverdale is a neurologist from the University of Manchester in the UK.

The new test is based on work done by researchers with a Scottish woman who has hereditary hyperosmia.

When her husband was first diagnosed with Parkinson's, it was found that he could smell the signs of the disease on people.

That led the team to a substance that keeps the skin moist. The chemical mix of sebum changed in an individual after they were diagnosed with Parkinson's.

We have a test for that shift. A sample from a clinic is sent off to a lab to be analyzed. The current study compares samples from people with and without Parkinson's.

More than 4,000 unique compounds of which 500 are different between people with Parkinson's disease and the control participants, according to chemist Depanjan Sarkar from the University of Manchester.

Scientists still need to show that they can scale up the procedure and get it working outside of laboratory conditions in order for the test to be considered a success.

It's not clear why Parkinson's should cause these changes in the production of the fluid, but the researchers say that other diseases could be diagnosed through an analysis of sebum.

Parkinson's is the fastest growing neurological disease there is, and it is going to continue to grow. While scientists are trying to find a cure, there are other ways to slow it down and manage it.

Perdita Barran is a chemist at the University of Manchester and she says they are excited by the results which will allow them to make a test for Parkinson's disease.

The research was published in a journal.