Clues to diagnosing Parkinson’s and MSA discovered

Key differences in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy (MSA) have been discovered in brain tissue.

Researchers at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research – Dr Victor Dieriks and Dr James Wiseman – and University of Sydney Professor Glenda Halliday have discovered distinctive markers in the brains of people with the two diseases, which are often mistaken for one another in the early stages.

“It’s vital to be able to accurately distinguish between Parkinson’s and MSA early on, because this directly impacts on treatment decisions and patients’ well-being,” says Dieriks.

Currently, diagnosis of Parkinson’s and MSA is based on patients’ symptoms.

Misdiagnosis often occurs, because the two conditions have similar symptoms.

“When misdiagnosed, patients with MSA are often given the Parkinson’s drug, levodopa, which not only fails to help, but can worsen symptoms in some cases,” says Dieriks.

While both conditions affect movement, Parkinson’s typically progresses slowly with tremors, muscle stiffness, and slowness of movement.

In contrast, MSA advances rapidly and includes problems such as severe balance issues, and disturbances in blood pressure and heart rate.

The team used an innovative technique to study donated brain tissue in the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank in Auckland and the Sydney Brain Bank.

They focused on a protein involved in both diseases – α-synuclein – and found distinctive patterns and levels in Parkinson’s, compared with MSA.

“We discovered this protein clumps differently in the brains of people with Parkinson’s and MSA and the levels in MSA are far higher,” says Dieriks.

Their discovery could pave the way for a simple, non-invasive test, such as a nasal swab, blood test, or urine sample, to reliably tell the two conditions apart.

Lead researcher Wiseman says it’s a significant breakthrough to be able to definitively diagnose Parkinson’s and MSA from brain tissue.

“What’s really exciting is we’re a step closer to being able to diagnose these disorders by using readily available body fluids.

“This means we could pick up Parkinson’s and MSA early, potentially before people even start to experience symptoms,” says Wiseman.

Parkinson’s disease affects millions globally, while MSA is far rarer, impacting about five in every 100,000 people. But MSA’s toll is devastating, says Dieriks.

“MSA can turn active, independent people into individuals needing full-time care within just a few years.

“Whereas people with Parkinson’s may live for decades, those with MSA typically survive only three to ten years after symptoms begin,” says Dieriks.

Globally, research on Parkinson’s is progressing rapidly, he says.

“We’re closer than ever to developing a diagnostic test for Parkinson’s. And the sooner we can catch these diseases, the better chance we have of slowing or stopping their progression.”