Research suggests Parkinson’s detectable by eye test

Parkinson's disease, which is said to affect around one in 500 people, had long been known for its difficulty in diagnosis. However, thanks to new research, it might be possible to detect early symptoms of the condition with a simple test.

Scientists at the University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology have developed a revolutionary eye test that could identify the signs of Parkinson's before brain changes occurred. A discovery of the type could lead to a cheap and non-invasive way to spot the disease, according to commentators.

Researchers induced a form of Parkinson's in rats in order to identify potential vision changes.

The researchers discovered that changes could be seen at the back of rats' eyes before visible symptoms occurred. They detected retinal ganglion cell changes, along with alterations in the thickness of the retina. The study was published in the journal Acta Neuropathologica Communications.

The researchers then treated the animals with a newly formulated version of the anti-diabetic drug Rosiglitazone, which helped protect the nerve cells. The treatment was found to reduce cell death in the retina and it also produced a protective effect on the brain, which suggests that it could have potential as a treatment for Parkinson's.

Professor Francesca Cordeiro who led the research said it was a ''potentially revolutionary breakthrough in the early diagnosis and treatment of one of the world's most debilitating diseases''.

''These tests mean we might be able to intervene much earlier and more effectively treat people with this devastating condition.''

Parkinson's is associated with a range of symptoms from tremors and muscle stiffness, slowness of movement to a relative decline in quality of life.

These symptoms usually appear only after damage had been caused to brain cells. However, there was currently no brain scan or blood test that could definitively diagnose Parkinson's disease.