Skip to main content

There’s a new blood test for Parkinson’s disease

parkinsons blood test screen shot 2016 04 21 at 3 57 40 pm
Image used with permission by copyright holder
For many of the millions around the world currently living with Parkinson’s disease, their diagnosis came too late. The degenerative disease and its tell-tale symptoms have long plagued aging populations around the world, but now, science believes it may have a way to catch the illness earlier, offering greater opportunities to advance treatment.

Australia’s La Trobe University has developed a blood test that researchers claim “will enable doctors to detect with unprecedented reliability the abnormal metabolism of blood cells in people with Parkinson’s.” This, the team says, will allow doctors to provide their patients with treatment options at an earlier stage, ultimately allowing for better quality of life for those living with this condition.

Recommended Videos

Today, it is estimated that over 6.3 million people around the world suffer from the disease. Worse yet, diagnosis is often difficult, as the current practice is no better than a process of elimination — often, the Guardian points out, patients are diagnosed or even treated for a different disease altogether before doctors recognize their mistake. But now, there may be a solution.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Key to the group’s research has been the discovery that damaged mitochondria, previously thought to be the culprit behind Parkinson’s, actually has nothing to do with the disease.

“Based on the current literature we were expecting reduced oxygen consumption in the mitochondria, which leads to a build-up of toxic byproducts, but what we saw was the exact opposite,” Fisher said. “We were able to show the mitochondria were perfectly normal but were working four times as hard, which also leads to increased production of poisonous byproducts. So what has changed is our understanding of why these poisonous byproducts are being produced, which opens up new avenues for research into treatments.”

Thus far, the blood test has been tested on 38 patients, 29 of whom have the disease and nine of whom serve as a control group, and the results have been promising.

“This is a really exciting discovery. Parkinson’s is a debilitating disorder and currently there is no cure. However, early diagnosis and treatment could enable better outcomes and a greater quality of life for people with the condition, which will be of great benefit to sufferers and their families,” La Trobe Professor of Microbiology Paul Fisher said in a press release regarding the discovery.

“It is even possible that the blood test could be developed to detect all types of neuro-degenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s,” he added.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
The best health and fitness apps for iPhone in 2025: 15 best ones
Apple's Fitness app on the iPhone 14 Pro.

"Fitness" can mean a lot of things. For some people, it's being able to run far or fast. For others, it's being able to lift heavy things and lower them back down again. Others may simply want to keep trim or eat healthily. It may even mean getting a great night's sleep, or making sure your mental wellness is at its best. Whatever fitness means for you, we have a list of apps that cover all the possible bases. These apps excel in a number of different areas, but what they all generally have in common is that they use iOS' powerful tech to monitor and analyze your performance. As a result, they can help you progress along your fitness journey.

With 2025 now upon us, getting in shape -- and staying in shape -- is at the top of your list of New Year's resolutions. These apps will help you kick the new year off on a good foot and maintain your physical fitness for the rest of the year and every year after. You can pair the apps with other tech for best results, so make sure to check out our lists of the best fitness trackers and the best running headphones. Here are the best fitness apps for the iPhone in 2025.
Apple Fitness

Read more
GlassesUSA Black Friday Sale: Get 30% off prescription glasses
GlassesUSA frames close up with multiple styles.

Need a new pair of glasses? Want to stock up for your holiday trips before you head to meet up with your relatives? Typically, you'd have to wait until the official Black Friday event, the day after Thanksgiving, or maybe even Cyber Monday, but that's not the case this year. Alongside a variety of the best online glasses deals, GlassesUSA is hosting a huge Black Friday sale early, allowing you to save big on prescription glasses and frames with no waiting necessary. Of course, we always recommend browsing the sale of your own accord to see what's discounted because we couldn't possibly cover everything, nor could we know precisely what you're looking for. That said, we've called out quite a few of the best deals below.

What to shop in the early GlassesUSA Black Friday sale
Rightfully dubbed the Black Friday Early Bird sale, now's an excellent time to save up to 30% on prescription glasses. Moreover, GlassesUSA is truly dedicated to helping you find the perfect pair. Not only are there a ton of brands and styles to choose from, but you'll benefit from free shipping and returns and a money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied. You can even take to find the correct pair for your face. Ray-Ban, Oakley, DKNY, Prada, Ottoto, Muse, they are all here and available to shop, most discounted even. Men's and Women's eyewear are on sale, too, so there's something for everyone.

Read more
The best DNA testing kit Black Friday deals you can shop now
Daughter gifting Ancestry Gift Membership to family

DNA tests are awesome holiday gifts for your family. Together you can all build your family tree and discover your genetic makeup. Unfortunately the tests are pretty expensive, but at least you only need to test once. There are some nice Black Friday deals going on today that will save you a significant amount of money on single tests or bundles. Check out our favorite below, then more more deals worth checking out under that.
The best DNA testing kit Black Friday deal
AncestryDNA Genetic Test Kit -- $59, was $99

The single person AncestryDNA Genetic Test Kit is our pick for the best Black Friday deal already available. The kit normally costs $99, but right now it's down to just $59. That's a nice discount of $30 on one of the best DNA tests available. We're not sure how long this deal will last, so you should grab it soon.

Read more