Researchers Develop Imaging Biomarker for Parkinson's Disease
PD is a degenerative condition of the brain associated with symptoms such as tremor, slow movement and sleep disorders, and an aging population has seen a rising prevalence of PD, said Prof. Ye Keqiang, a member of the research team, the journal Cell reported.
He added that the early diagnosis of PD and measures to delay and even prevent its development have been major scientific challenges in neurodegenerative disease research.
"PD is characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates into Lewy bodies (LB)," said Prof. Zhang Zhentao with the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University.
However, there have been a lack of tracers for LB in clinic, which leads to the fact that the diagnosis of PD mainly depends on clinical symptoms without objective biomarkers, Zhang added.
The research team developed a small molecule compound with high selectivity for LB that can provide an objective basis for early diagnosis and holds great scientific value and clinical significance.
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