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A new study has revealed promising progress in developing a non-invasive sampling method to detect early signs of Parkinson鈥檚 disease 鈥� up to seven years before motor symptoms appear - by analysing the chemical makeup of skin.

The research, published today in the journal, , demonstrates that compounds or 鈥榲olatiles鈥� found in sebum 鈥� the oily substance produced by our skin 鈥攈old key biomarkers for identifying Parkinson鈥檚 in its earliest stages.

Using a technique known as Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS), scientists at The University of Manchester, in collaboration with Salford Royal NHS Trust and the Medical University of Innsbruck, analysed skin swabs from participants with Parkinson鈥檚, healthy volunteers, and those with a sleep disorder called isolated REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (iRBD) 鈥� a known early warning sign of Parkinson鈥檚 disease.

The results showed that people with iRBD had distinct chemical profiles in their sebum that were different from healthy individuals, but not yet as pronounced as those with established Parkinson鈥檚 disease. This supports the idea that Parkinson鈥檚 disease leaves a detectable trace on the body well before physical symptoms appear.

Joy Milne 鈥� the 鈥榮uper smeller鈥� who inspired the research  鈥�  was also able to distinguish swabs from people with iRBD from the control group and Parkinson鈥檚 patients. Intriguingly, she was able to detect both diseases in two of the swabs that came from iRBD individuals, who were later diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚 at their next clinical appointment, after sampling.

Professor Perdita Barran, Professor of Mass Spectrometry at The University of Manchester, said: 鈥淭his is the first study to demonstrate a molecular diagnostic method for Parkinson鈥檚 disease at the prodromal or early stage. It brings us one step closer to a future where a simple, non-invasive skin swab could help identify people at risk before symptoms arise allowing for earlier intervention and improved outcomes.鈥�

The study involved more than 80 participants, including 46 people with Parkinson鈥檚, 28 healthy controls, and nine with iRBD.  They found 55 significant features in the sebum that varied between the groups. Those with iRBD often showed levels that sat between the healthy controls and the Parkinson鈥檚 group, reinforcing the possibility of detecting the disease in its early phase.

Dr Drupad Trivedi, a researcher from The University of Manchester, built a model that examined the markers in a longitudinal sampling study. He collected samples from Parkinson鈥檚 patients over a three-year period and found patterns that suggest this method can also be used to map the progression of the disease, which could have use in refining treatment options and improve patient outcomes.

Sebum is also easy to collect using gauze swabs from the face or upper back, making it ideal for non-invasive routine screening and regular monitoring. by the team has also shown it does not need to be stored in the same cold conditions as other biofluids, such as blood, reducing associated costs.

The research is inspired by the observations of Joy Milne, who detected a unique scent in individuals with Parkinson's disease, prompting researchers at The University of Manchester to explore sebum as a source of diagnostic biomarkers.

By using mass spectrometry, a technique that measures the weight of molecules, they have found that there are distinctive Parkinson鈥檚 markers in sebum, which has led them to develop this non-invasive swab test.

These findings have recently been validated in another paper, published today in the, where trained dogs were able to detect Parkinson鈥檚 in the patients recruited by Prof Barren and Dr Trivedi with remarkable accuracy by smelling skin swabs.

Now, the researchers are continuing to develop and improve the sebum-based testing to eventually use as a practical tool in real-world clinical settings.

Dr Drupad Trivedi, Lecturer in Analytical Measurement Sciences at The University of Manchester, said: "Our goal is to develop a reliable, non-invasive test that helps doctors detect Parkinson鈥檚 earlier, track its progression, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

鈥淲e鈥檙e also keen to hear from other hyperosmic individuals, potential 鈥榮uper smellers鈥� like Joy, whose remarkable sense of smell could help extend our work to detect other diseases with potential odour signatures."

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This research was published in the journal npj Parkinson's Disease

Full title: Classification of Parkinson鈥檚 Disease and idopathic REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder: Delineating Progression Markers from the Sebum Volatilome

DOI: 10.1038/s41531-025-01026-8

Link:

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