Takeaway
Salivary levels of oligomeric alpha-synuclein, total-tau, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 beta (MAP-LC3beta), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) are significantly higher in patients with de novo Parkinson’s disease (PD). Total alpha-synuclein combined with other salivary biomarkers improve diagnostic accuracy versus alpha-synuclein alone.
Why this matters
Multiple cellular and molecular pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of PD. Biomarkers such as alpha-synuclein, total- and phosphorylated tau, MAP-LC3beta and TNF alpha have all been suggested as candidates for PD detection and monitoring.
Early diagnosis and disease progression monitoring with multiple non-invasive biomarkers can improve patient care.