Latest news with #TheJournalofParkinson'sDisease
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Economic Times
Ray of hope for the Parkinson's community? Latest study claims dogs can detect the disease early with high accuracy
What is Parkinson's Disease Live Events How can dogs help in detecting Parkinson's (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A new study has discovered that trained dogs were surprisingly accurate in detecting Parkinson's disease . This development has come as a ray of hope for the Parkinson's community, as there are currently no definitive early diagnostic tests for the latest findings have given hope to scientists, as this data will help them identify the biological markers that dogs are able to detect, according to Identifying the earliest changes in the body could result in improved tests, allowing patients to get timely care, as the study suggests that dogs can detect symptoms potentially years before is a neurological disorder that leads to symptoms such as stiffness, tremors, trouble with balance, and slow movement. It is progressive and worsens as time goes on. While there is no cure at present, medications and sometimes surgery can help manage is still no conclusive test for diagnosing Parkinson's, so finding the biological markers that dogs can sense may be valuable. Symptoms can first appear up to 20 years before they are persistent enough for a clear diagnosis. An early detection test could give patients and doctors a significant advantage in managing the research published on July 15, 2025, in The Journal of Parkinson's Disease claimed that dogs can detect the disease. But the question is, how is this possible?According to the study features a double-blind study involving trained dogs. Seborrheic dermatitis, a skin condition caused by glands producing too much sebum, is one of the early symptoms of Parkinson's , often appearing before motor issues. Sebum has a unique smell, and researchers thought dogs might be trained to detect the extra sebum in skin the study, professional trainers taught a group of dogs to detect Parkinson's from skin samples. Ten dogs started the training, but just two finished the challenging process. After completing their training, the dogs were presented with a series of skin samples, one of which might have had Parkinson's. The study was double-blind, making sure the dogs weren't influenced by their trainers or the the end, the dogs were 98% accurate at detecting Parkinson's disease from the skin samples. Their sensitivity to the samples was also high, between 70% and 80%. While this is only an initial step toward creating an early test for Parkinson's, the findings were have demonstrated the ability to sense several diseases, including cancer. Cancerous tumors release volatile organic compounds that some dogs' keen sense of smell can pick up. They may also be able to detect conditions like diabetes, malaria, and COVID-19.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Researchers train dogs to identify Parkinson's patients, say they can help develop diagnostic test
New Delhi: A new study has shown that dogs can be trained to identify patients with Parkinson's disease using skin swabs, suggesting the existence of biomarkers that could aid in developing diagnostic tests for this neurodegenerative disorder. Two dogs, trained to distinguish the odour between swabs of sebum -- oil secreted by skin -- taken from people with and without Parkinson's disease, showed high levels of accuracy in detecting the ageing-related neurological disorder. Researchers from the universities of Bristol and Manchester, along with Medical Detection Dogs , a UK-based charity organisation, noted that a definitive diagnostic test for the ageing-related neurological disorder remains elusive, identifying potential biomarkers could help with diagnosis and timely intervention. "This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that simple, non-invasive skin swabs can be used to diagnose Parkinson's disease, offering a faster and more accessible method for early detection," author Perdita Barran, professor of mass spectrometry at The University of Manchester, said. Published in The Journal of Parkinson's Disease, the study involved training two dogs over 38 to 53 weeks using 205 samples of skin swabs from individuals with Parkinson's disease and those without. The samples were presented to the dogs, who were rewarded for correctly indicating a positive sample and for correctly ignoring a negative sample. The dogs achieved an accuracy rate of 80 per cent in identifying true positives - accurately recognising individuals with the condition - and over 90 per cent for true negatives - correctly identifying individuals without the condition. "These results support earlier research showing that dogs can be trained to reliably detect the smell of Parkinson's disease," the authors said. Lead author Nicola Rooney, an associate professor at the University of Bristol, said, "The dogs in this study achieved high sensitivity and specificity and showed there is an olfactory signature distinct to patients with the disease." "Sensitivity levels of 70 per cent and 80 per cent are well above chance, and I believe that dogs could help us to develop a quick, non-invasive and cost-effective method to identify patients with Parkinson's disease," Rooney noted.
