A study published in The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease describes how dogs trained to detect Parkinson’s disease using biomarker scents have incredible accuracy in a double-blind trial, identifying skin swabs from those with the disease with up to 80% sensitivity and 98% specificity, even with the presence of other health conditions. This cute and non-invasive method offers hope to detect the disease long before traditional symptoms appear to potentially allow earlier treatment to slow progression.
Parkinson’s Sniffing Dogs
In collaboration with Medical Detection Dogs and the Universities of Bristol and Manchester, two dogs were trained (a Golden Retriever, named Bumper, and a Black Labrador, named Peanut) to distinguish between sebum swabs from those with and without Parkinson’s disease. The dogs were trained on over 200 odor samples from those who had tested positive for the disease and control samples from those without the disease.
For their training, the dogs were presented with samples and rewarded for correctly indicating a positive sample while ignoring negative samples. The dogs’ training proved to be effective, as not only did the dogs correctly identify samples with a sensitivity of up to 80% and specificity of up to 98%, but they also detected it in samples from patients with other health conditions.
“We are extremely proud to say that once again, dogs can very accurately detect disease, said Claire Guest, Medical Detection Dogs CEO and Chief Scientific Officer.”Timely diagnosis is key as subsequent treatment could slow down the progression of the disease and reduce the intensity of symptoms.”
“Identifying diagnostic biomarkers of PD, particularly those that may predict development or help diagnose disease earlier is the subject of much ongoing research. The dogs in this study achieved high sensitivity and specificity and showed there is an olfactory signature distinct to patients with the disease. Sensitivity levels of 70% and 80% are well above chance and I believe that dogs could help us to develop a quick non-invasive and cost-effective method to identify patients with Parkinson’s disease,” said lead author Nicola Rooney, Associate Professor at Bristol Veterinary School at the University of Bristol.
“It’s wonderful to be part of this research inspired by Joy Milne and our Nose2Diagnose programme. This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that simple, non-invasive skin swabs can be used to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, offering a faster and more accessible method for early detection,” added Perdita Barran, Professor of Mass Spectrometry at The University of Manchester.
What is Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects movement. It occurs when nerve cells in the brain don’t produce enough dopamine, a chemical that helps control muscle movement. This leads to symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and slow movement. While there’s no cure, treatments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
The main symptoms include:
- Tremor: Shaking, often in the hands or fingers, that can also occur in the jaw or legs.
- Bradykinesia: Slowness of movement, making simple tasks difficult.
- Rigidity: Stiffness in the limbs and trunk.
- Postural instability: Problems with balance and coordination, increasing the risk of falls.
While the exact cause is unknown, it’s believed to involve a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Age is a major risk factor, with most cases diagnosed after age 60, but early-onset Parkinson’s can occur. A family history of Parkinson’s can increase risk. Life expectancy is generally near normal for those receiving treatment, though the disease can increase vulnerability to other health issues.
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This news item came from: https://worldhealth.net/news/dogs-detect-parkinsons-98-accuracy-before/
