Oxford and Saudi researchers develop Parkinson's blood test

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 06:18 · Archive

Researchers at Oxford and Saudi Arabia's KAUST have created a sensor that detects early signs of Parkinson's disease through a blood test.

Researchers at the University of Oxford and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia have developed a sensor that can detect early signs of Parkinson's disease through a blood test. The technology works by identifying three different forms of alpha-synuclein, a protein associated with the disease, at extremely low concentrations. The sensor can deliver results within 40 minutes.

In a blinded study using samples from 59 participants in the Oxford Discovery cohort, the technology achieved 90.9 per cent accuracy in distinguishing Parkinson's-related profiles from healthy controls. The study included people diagnosed with Parkinson's, healthy individuals, and those with isolated REM sleep behaviour disorder, a condition linked to a higher risk of developing Parkinson's. Sahika Inal, associate professor of bioengineering at KAUST, said: 'Changes associated with Parkinson's can begin long before a clinical diagnosis but detecting those changes through something as accessible as blood remains extremely challenging.'

The researchers believe that measuring multiple forms of alpha-synuclein together could offer better diagnostic insights than focusing on a single marker. However, the team has cautioned that the technology is not yet ready for clinical use and will require much larger, long-term studies before it can become a routine diagnostic tool.

How it is being reported

• Oxford researchers develop blood test for early Parkinson’s signsThe sensor is developed by researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia and the University of Oxford.Oxford Mail · 11 Oct, 05:00
• Oxford researchers develop blood test for early Parkinson’s signsThe sensor is developed by researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia and the University of Oxford.Oxfordshire Guardian · 11 Oct, 05:00

In this story: University of Oxford · King Abdullah University of Science and Technology · Sahika Inal

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