• Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 10 million people worldwide.
• Symptoms, which include tremors, muscle stiffness, and impaired mobility, are believed to be caused by build up of alpha-synuclein fibrils that impair the function of nerve cells.
• There are currently no diagnostic tests for Parkinson’s disease, meaning that doctors usually diagnose the disorder by taking a person’s medical history and carrying out a neurological examination once symptoms are advanced.
• Now, researchers have developed a technique to detect and quantify alpha-synuclein fibrils, which may lead to early tests to diagnose Parkinson’s.

By Katharine Lang on January 11, 2024 — Fact checked by Patricia Weiser, PharmD