Detection of Dermal Alpha-Synuclein Deposits as a Biomarker for Parkinson's Disease

Alpha-synuclein deposits are detectable in skin biopsies of patients with Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies like multiple system atrophy by immunohistochemical staining. As they are easily to obtain, they appear a promising tool for the pre-mortem histopathological confirmation of the disease and as a potential outcome measure in studies targeting alpha-synuclein aggregates. Good sensitivity, specificity, and practicability are the most important requirements of a biomarker. The review gives an overview on all three aspects, addresses methodological problems and the lack of standardized procedures as a major problem and gives an outlook on the future of skin biopsy as a potential diagnostic tool in synucleinopathies.