An 'e-nose' has been developed to diagnose Parkinson's by smelling the disease in what could be a breakthrough invention.
At present, there isn't a definitive test for the disease and, typically, people aren't diagnosed until they've already developed 'irreversible' brain damage.
Now scientists have invented an e-nose - a portable artificially intelligent device that can smell - that could be used one day to diagnose Parkinson's at the GP.
In 2019, a Scottish woman's superpower to smell Parkinson's disease was confirmed by University of Edinburgh researchers.
Joy Milne's remarkable ability spurred scientists to build devices that could diagnose Parkinson's disease just through smell.
A new paper describing the e-nose - and its implications for Parkinson's diagnosis - was published yesterday in American Chemical Society.
How can an e-nose diagnose Parkinson's disease?
Super smellers like Joy Milne are rare, but the link between smell and Parkinson's disease has been established.
Scientists have discovered that people with Parkinson's produce extra sebum (an oily substance produced by the body's sweat glands) as well as more yeast, enzymes and hormones that altogether produce a distinct odour.
The current tools that analyse smell in people with Parkinson's are said to be slow, heavy and expensive to use.
Researchers set out to create a fast, easy to use, portable and inexpensive e-nose 'smell test' for Parkinson's that could be used in GP settings.
The e-nose's accuracy is just under 80 percent (79.2%) when tested on samples taken by swabbing the upper backs of 32 current Parkinson's patients.
Researchers say further testing is needed to improve the e-nose's accuracy and to consider factors such as race.
How is Parkinson's diagnosed now? What are the symptoms?
Parkinson's develops slowly and symptoms can take years or decades to appear.
There is no conclusive test to diagnose the disease, nor is there a cure.
The disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, meaning that parts of the brain become increasingly damaged through time, leading to involuntary tremors, slow movements, and muscle stiffness.
It causes wide-ranging physical and psychological problems like depression, balance problems, loss of smell and dementia.
Early stage Parkinson's is usually mild and hard to diagnose, says the NHS.
However, devices that 'smell' the disease could be powerful tools for early diagnosis and treatment.
The e-nose researchers wrote: "Although there's no cure, early diagnosis and treatment can improve one’s quality of life, relieve symptoms and prolong survival."
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