Blood test could predict Parkinson's disease years before symptoms

A simple blood test can detect Parkinson's disease many years before symptoms appear.

Scientists from Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Oslo analyzed blood samples from 188 healthy participants, 393 patients with full-blown Parkinson's disease and 58 people with early-stage disease.

A comparison of the data showed that changes in genes responsible for DNA repair and cell response to stress are characteristic of the early stage of the disease.

Once the classic motor control problems and tremors associated with Parkinson's disease begin to appear, significant damage has already been done to the brain.