Parkinson's Disease Biomarkers: Where Are We and Where Do We Go Next?

Objective measures of Parkinson's disease (PD) are needed for purposes of diagnosis and prognostication, as well as identification of those at risk of PD. In this qualitative review, we provide an overview of the current state of the field of PD biomarker development, delineate challenges, and discuss how the field is evolving.

A search of PubMed was conducted for articles pertaining to objective biomarkers for PD. Articles were selected based on relevance and methodology; where available, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and comprehensive qualitative review articles were preferentially referenced.

There are several potential sources of objective PD biomarkers including biofluids, peripheral tissue, imaging, genetics, and technology based objective motor testing. Approaches to biomarker identification include the candidate biomarker approach and unbiased discovery methods, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. Several emerging techniques hold promise in each of these areas. Advances in technology and bioinformatics, and the increasing availability of biobanks, are expected to facilitate future PD biomarker development.

The field of objective biomarkers for PD has made great progress but much remains to be done in translating putative biomarkers into tools useful in the clinic and for research. Multimodal biomarker platforms have the potential to capitalize on the utility and strengths of individual biomarkers. Rigorous methodology and standards for replication of findings will be key to meaningful progress in the field.