Biomarkers of Parkinson’s Disease: From Basic Research to Clinical Practice

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized pathologically by dopaminergic neuron loss and the formation of Lewy bodies, which are enriched with aggregated α-synuclein (α-syn). PD currently has no cure, but therapeutic strategies are available to alleviate symptoms. Early diagnosis can greatly improve therapeutic interventions, but the clinical diagnosis of PD remains challenging and depends mainly on clinical features and imaging tests. Efficient and specific biomarkers are crucial for the diagnosis, monitoring, and evaluation of PD. Here, we reviewed the biomarkers of PD in different tissues and biofluids, along with the current clinical biochemical detection methods. We found that the sensitivity and specificity of single biomarkers are limited, and selecting appropriate indicators for combined detection can improve the diagnostic accuracy of PD.

Pathogenic Impact of Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins in Parkinson’s Disease—Potential Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets

“…To overcome Parkinson's disease, it is necessary to predict disease risk before onset and achieve early therapeutic interventions. Numerous excellent studies have been reported on diagnostic techniques for Parkinson's disease using analyses of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum, and plasma biomarkers targeting α-synuclein and other related proteins [146][147][148][149]. Additionally, recent studies have demonstrated that severe olfactory impairment is a useful early biomarker for Parkinson's disease dementia [64,65,[150][151][152].…”