Abnormal performance on the PD test battery by asymptomatic first-degree relatives.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Genetics

Background:

• Parkinson's disease (PD) poses a significant health challenge.
• Identifying at-risk individuals is crucial for early intervention.
• First-degree relatives (FDRs) of PD patients have an increased genetic risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a comprehensive test battery (PD Battery) for detecting preclinical PD in asymptomatic FDRs.
• To assess if the PD Battery can identify FDRs with subclinical impairments compared to controls.

Main Methods:

• The PD Battery, assessing motor function, olfaction, and mood, was administered to asymptomatic FDRs and normal controls (NCs).
• Regression analysis-derived scoring equations were used.
• Performance was compared between FDRs and NCs.

Main Results:

• A significantly higher proportion of FDRs (22.5%) scored abnormally on the PD Battery compared to NC subjects (9%).
• FDRs with abnormal scores exhibited impairments across all three tested domains (motor, olfaction, mood).
• Abnormal scores in FDRs were associated with a higher likelihood of having a father with PD.

Conclusions:

• The PD Battery can identify a greater proportion of asymptomatic FDRs with impairments than NC subjects.
• The PD Battery shows potential for detecting the asymptomatic carrier state or PD risk in individuals with a family history.
• A paternal history of PD was more common in FDRs with abnormal test results.