Newswise — MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/06/2024) — Researchers at the University of Minnesota, have developed a new visual diagnostic technique that can be used to advance early detection for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease and similar diseases that affect animals, including Chronic Wasting Disease in deer. The research is published in npj Biosensing , a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Nature.
Named Cap-QuIC (Capillary-enhanced Quaking-Induced Conversion), researchers will now be able to distinguish infected samples with the naked eye, which makes testing more accessible and cost-effective. This new method builds upon the researchers' previous groundbreaking diagnostic technique that allowed for faster and more accurate disease detection. "The simplicity and efficiency of Cap-QuIC could lower the barriers to routine screening for neurodegenerative diseases, ultimately leading to earlier intervention and better patient outcomes," said University of Minnesota Professor Hye Yoon Park, a senior co-author of the paper and professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Science and Engineering.
Parkinson’s disease is characterized by the accumulation of misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins—proteins found in nerve cells in the brain. The disease affects millions worldwide and poses significant challenges in early diagnosis and treatment. Most diagnoses today come from the observation of a person’s external symptoms in clinic.