Khaberni -A recent study showed that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in earwax could carry chemical signals indicative of this neurological disease, according to "Science Alert" citing the journal "Analytical Chemistry".
The findings of the new study build on earlier research suggesting that Parkinson’s disease subtly alters body odor, through changes in sebum, a natural oily substance that moisturizes hair and skin.
One issue with analyzing sebum on the skin is that exposure to air and the external environment makes it less reliable in clinical tests. Therefore, a team of researchers from Zhejiang University studied earwax, assuming it to be more protected.
The researchers wrote in their paper: "Early diagnosis and intervention are critical for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. This study proposes a diagnostic model that analyzes volatile organic compounds from ear canal secretions."
The scientists believe that these volatile organic compounds can change due to inflammation, cellular stress, and neural degeneration in the brain. By conducting the appropriate tests, the team hypothesized that precise signals of Parkinson’s disease might appear in the ears.
The researchers took swabs from the ear canal of 209 study participants, 108 of whom were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. By analyzing the differences in earwax composition between those with Parkinson’s disease and those without, four volatile organic compounds emerged: ethylbenzene, 4-ethyltoluene, pentanal, and 2-pentadecyl-1,3-dioxolane.
These compounds can be used to identify Parkinson's disease in the future, forming the basis for developing tests. However, this analysis itself must first be conducted on larger groups of people over longer time periods.
Subsequently, the team trained a dataset with artificial intelligence using the same volatile organic compounds data, resulting in a tool called the Artificial Intelligence Olfactory System (AIO), which achieved 94.4% accuracy in identifying individuals with Parkinson’s disease from the study (a promising start, but only on a small sample so far).
The researchers wrote: "The AIO-based analytical system confirms its potential in clinical diagnostic devices, assisting in earlier and more effective treatment for Parkinson’s patients."
Current methods for diagnosing Parkinson's disease include a combination of clinical assessments and brain imaging. The new research could lead to a simple ear swab test, making the diagnostic process quicker and less costly, and capable of detecting Parkinson’s disease early.
The findings can also support ongoing studies to understand how Parkinson’s disease starts and how to stop it. The specific changes in volatile organic compounds could be used as a chemical fingerprint, identifying other changes that occur due to or possibly lead to the disease.
Hao Dong, a biochemist from Nanjing University, says: "The next step is to conduct more research at different stages of the disease, in multiple research centers and among various ethnic groups, to determine the feasibility of this method in practical application."
