Parkinson's diagnosis
In most cases, the initial diagnosis is made by a family doctor, but the final diagnosis is made by a community neurologist or a neurologist specializing in movement disorders. A clinical examination is carried out with the aim of examining whether there are at least two or three movement and non-movement symptoms typical of Parkinson's disease (tremor that is more noticeable at rest, slowing down and limited movements, muscle stiffness, imbalance and difficulty speaking), as well as based on the patient's medical history. The appearance of symptoms on only one side of the body can also help with the diagnosis.
The doctor will sometimes refer the patient to brain mapping (SPECT) or an Fdopa scan, mainly in case the diagnosis is not clear-cut. These tests scan for specific nerve cells that respond to dopamine. However, even in this test, an abnormal mapping result does not necessarily indicate Parkinson's disease since such a result can also result from other degenerative or neurological diseases that arise from problems in the dopamine system. Therefore, the existence of the symptoms has more weight in the diagnosis of Parkinson's.
However, it should be noted that symptoms characteristic of Parkinson's disease do not necessarily indicate the existence of the disease and can be due to other reasons. for example:
- There are psychiatric drugs as well as anti-nausea drugs that lead to blocking the action of dopamine.
- Exposure to certain toxins.
- head injury
- Brain disorders, stroke, accumulation of fluid in the brain, dementia.
- Primary tremor - a neurological syndrome that causes involuntary tremors.
Therefore, sometimes the doctor will also refer the patient to perform blood tests, and/or other imaging tests such as MRI, ultrasound or PET scans which may reveal another source of symptoms and rule out a Parkinson's diagnosis.
Another way for the doctor to arrive at a Parkinson's diagnosis is by giving the patient the drug Sinemat (carbidopa/levodopa). This drug, which is used to treat Parkinson's patients, can confirm the diagnosis, if taking it leads to a significant improvement.
Given the fact that there is no specific test to diagnose Parkinson's, several follow-up appointments with neurologists specializing in movement disorders are sometimes required. The more advanced the disease is, the easier the symptoms are to recognize, and therefore the diagnosis is easier and faster.
Research to develop a method for diagnosing Parkinson's in the early stages
A study is currently being conducted at Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Uri Ashari, in collaboration with researchers at Cambridge University in London, whose goal is to develop a method for diagnosing the disease in early stages by diagnosing protein deposits, which characterize Parkinson's disease, at the stage when the deposits are still tiny.
In addition to the fact that the research may in the future lead to the possibility of an early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, one of the research partners has developed a substance whose role is to prevent the accumulation of protein deposits in the cells, which may lead to the possibility of treating Parkinson's.
It should be noted that so far the research has not included experiments on humans, and it is at a stage where many tests will be required before it can be concluded that it will indeed be possible to diagnose Parkinson's in the early stages and even treat the disease.
To read an article about the study on the Walla website
