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Dynamic Digital Biomarkers of Motor and Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: July 24, 2019
Biomarkers in Parkinson's disease
John C Morgan1, Shyamal H Mehta, Kapil D Sethi
1Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports
|September 3, 2010
Summary
Researchers are exploring various biomarkers for Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis and progression tracking. While many show promise, further validation is needed to confirm their sensitivity and specificity in diverse patient populations.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Biomarker Research
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Clinical assessment is the current gold standard for diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD) and tracking its progression.
- Numerous potential biomarkers are being investigated to supplement clinical evaluations.
- These biomarkers encompass clinical, genetic, proteomic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and neuroimaging data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and discuss the potential of various biomarkers in aiding the differential diagnosis of PD.
- To explore the utility of biomarkers in monitoring PD progression and therapeutic response.
- To highlight the need for rigorous assessment of biomarker sensitivity and specificity.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on Parkinson's disease biomarkers.
- Categorization of biomarkers based on type (clinical, genetic, fluid-based, neuroimaging).
- Discussion of the diagnostic and prognostic potential of identified biomarkers.
Main Results:
- Potential biomarkers identified across clinical, genetic, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and neuroimaging modalities.
- Some biomarkers offer cost-effectiveness and ease of use, while others require specialized resources.
- Many biomarkers demonstrate promise but require further validation.
Conclusions:
- Biomarkers hold significant potential to improve the diagnosis and management of Parkinson's disease.
- Comprehensive validation studies in large, diverse patient cohorts are crucial.
- Future research should focus on assessing the sensitivity and specificity of promising biomarkers over time.
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