Can Scientists Predict or Prevent Parkinson's Disease?
As yet, there is no way to predict or prevent the disease. However, researchers are now looking for a biomarker -- a biochemical abnormality that all patients with Parkinson's disease might share -- that could be picked up by screening techniques or by a simple chemical test given to people who do not have any parkinsonian symptoms.
Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning may lead to important advances in our knowledge about Parkinson's disease. PET scans of the brain produce pictures of chemical changes as they occur in the living brain. Using PET, research scientists can study the brain's dopamine receptors (the sites on nerve cells that bind with dopamine) to determine if the loss of dopamine activity follows or precedes degeneration of the neurons that make this chemical. This information could help scientists better understand the disease process and may potentially lead to improved treatments.
