Skin odour could lead to early diagnosis of Parkinson’s

20 Jul 2016

Humans with acute sense of smell to help pinpoint molecular changes in debilitating, incurable disease

A study has been launched to identify small molecules secreted by the skin that are believed to emit a subtle but unique scent in people in the early stages of Parkinson’s.

One in 500 people in the UK have Parkinson’s - which can leave people struggling to walk, speak and sleep – and has no cure or definitive diagnostic test. 127,000 people in the UK live with the condition and 7.5 million worldwide.

Researchers believe that Parkinson’s may affect a change in the sebum – an oily substance in the skin – of people with the condition that results in a unique and subtle odour only detectable by people with an acute sense of smell.

The charity Parkinson’s UK is now funding researchers at Manchester, Edinburgh and London to study around 200 people with and without Parkinson’s. They hope to confirm findings from a pilot study by the Universities of Manchester and Edinburgh involving 24 people, which suggested that Parkinson’s can be identified by odour alone.

Professor Perdita Barran and her team at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), will use mass spectrometry technology to analyse skin swabs taken from people with and without Parkinson’s, and then identify specific biomarkers found in Parkinson’s.

The team will also be using ‘human detectors’ – people with exceptional smelling abilities.

Both the analytical and the human approach will be used to grade identical samples in an attempt to pinpoint which molecular changes in the skin might be producing the unique odour found in people with Parkinson’s.

Professor Barran, who is working with neurologist Dr Monty Silverdale, said: “It is hoped that these results could lead to the development of a non-invasive diagnostic test that may have the ability to diagnose early Parkinson’s – possibly even before physical symptoms occur.”

Dr Arthur Roach, Director of Research at Parkinson’s UK, said: “It’s very early days in the research, but if it’s proved there is a unique odour associated with Parkinson’s, particularly early on in the condition, it could have a huge impact. Not just on early diagnosis, but it would also make it a lot easier to identify people to test drugs that may have the potential to slow, or even stop Parkinson’s, something no current drug can achieve.”