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Updated: May 21, 2026
08:33
Targeting Alpha Synuclein Aggregates in Cutaneous Peripheral Nerve Fibers by Free-floating Immunofluorescence Assay
Published on: June 25, 2019
Myelin damage in donor skin differentiates between synucleinopathies
Marta Di Fabrizio1,2, Bram L van der Gaag3, Mara Terzi1
1Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, Institute of Physics, School of Basic Sciences, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.
NPJ Parkinson'S Disease
|May 19, 2026
Summary
Peripheral myelin damage is elevated in Parkinson's disease (PD) compared to other synucleinopathies and controls. This finding may help differentiate neurodegenerative diseases using peripheral nerve analysis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pathology
- Electron Microscopy
Background:
- Myelin alterations are known in central nervous system diseases like Parkinson's disease (PD).
- The peripheral nervous system's myelin ultrastructure in synucleinopathies remains understudied.
- Understanding peripheral nerve involvement is crucial for neurodegenerative disease research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze and compare myelin ultrastructure in peripheral nerves across different synucleinopathies.
- To investigate the potential of peripheral nerve analysis as a diagnostic tool for synuclein diseases.
- To quantify myelin damage in Parkinson's disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA).
Main Methods:
- Correlative light and electron microscopy of cervical skin biopsies from 46 neuropathologically confirmed donors.
- Analysis of over 1100 myelin sheaths to assess fragmentation and swelling.
- Calculation of a myelin damage score for each subject group.
Main Results:
- A significantly higher myelin damage score was observed in the Parkinson's disease (PD) group compared to Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and control groups.
- Structural abnormalities in myelin sheaths were identified and quantified.
- Distinct patterns of myelin damage may differentiate between synucleinopathies.
Conclusions:
- Peripheral nerve myelin damage patterns differ among synucleinopathies.
- Myelin sheath abnormalities in peripheral nerves show potential for discriminating between PD, MSA, and controls.
- Multiscale analysis of peripheral nerves could serve as future classifiers for synuclein disease detection and differentiation.
