"Revolutionary Test Detects Parkinson's Disease Before Symptoms"

A new study sponsored by the Michael J. Fox Foundation has found that a test of spinal fluid can predict who is likely to develop Parkinson's disease years before symptoms appear. The test, called the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay, uses a patient's spinal fluid to detect synuclein pathology, one of the two biological hallmarks of Parkinson’s. While the test doesn't replace an expert diagnosis, it could shape how and when Parkinson's is diagnosed and influence drug development and clinical care.