Harvard Center of Nanoscale Systems

Early Diagnostic of Parkinson's Disease by Nano Detection of the Biomarker Alpha-Synuclein

In recent years, Parkinson’s Disease (PD) has become a more global issue, impacting over 10 million people worldwide, and is expected to rise continually due to an increase in the aging population. As slowing down the disease progression is its only treatment, diagnosing the disease as early as possible is critical for an effective intervention. Thus, finding a biomarker that accurately and consistently reflects the early stages of PD is necessary. In recent studies, researchers have analyzed many biomarkers and identified several that allow for an accurate and early diagnosis of the disease. In particular, alpha-synuclein(α-syn) and its oligomers (α-syn olig) showed potential for a widespread screening and an early noninvasive diagnosis. This study aims to detect salivary α-syn and α-syn olig at low concentrations, utilizing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. By enabling the analysis of biomarker concentration in different fluids combined with silver nanoparticles (Ag np), this method would develop a diagnostic procedure for the early stages of the disease. This study employed various experimental techniques to analyze the biomarker under different circumstances by demonstrating the functioning of silver nanoparticles on α-syn, finding a concentration-signal intensity curve, and simulating in artificial salivary samples. The outcomes of this study may enhance future research in Parkinson’s Disease and other biomarker-based diagnostics, improving the quality of life of many people.