2023-11-17 22:45:00
Key PointsA wireless, non-invasive experimental device could one day use saliva or urine to screen for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases
The device uses an advanced biochip to detect proteins linked to the two neurodegenerative diseases
If the tests go well, researchers hope to have the device on the market in about a year.
FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2023 (HealthDay News) — A wireless, noninvasive device has shown promise in detecting biomarkers of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Researchers said the device uses electrical sensing to identify proteins associated with Alzheimer’s (beta amyloid and tau) and Parkinson’s (alpha synuclein) in saliva and urine.’This portable diagnostic system would allow testing at home and at the point of care, such as clinics and nursing homes, for neurodegenerative diseases at world-class,’ said co-investigator Ratnesh Lal, a professor at the Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California-San Diego, in a university news release. The device contains a chip with a highly sensitive transistor that uses DNA to detect beta amyloid, tau or synuclein proteins, the researchers said. Lal said electrical detection is easier to implement and more accurate than chemical detection. He also wanted to create a device that could transmit test results wirelessly to a laptop or smartphone. Tests on proteins derived from the brains of deceased Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients showed that the biosensors were able to detect specific biomarkers for both conditions. with high precision, on par with existing methods, the findings show. The device also works well even when the samples contain other types of proteins, the researchers said. Because it works at extremely low concentrations, only small samples are needed, they added. Tau proteins proved more difficult to detect, but the device can combine results from all three biomarkers to arrive at a reliable overall result, the study found. UC San Diego has licensed the technology to a biotech startup called Ampera Life. Lal is the president of the company, but does not receive financial support for his research from the company. The researchers plan to soon test blood and cerebrospinal fluid with the device, before proceeding to saliva and urine samples. Testing would take place in hospital and nursing home settings. If those tests go well, Ampera Life plans to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the device in the next five to six months. The goal is to have the device on the market within a year. The findings were published Nov. 13 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. More information The Alzheimer’s Association has more on Alzheimer’s disease. SOURCE: University of California-San Diego, press release, November 13, 2023
What it means to youThis new device could help doctors detect and follow cases of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
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