6 Fox Focus | Research
A Biological Staging System for Parkinson ’ s ( continued )
the abnormal alpha-synuclein protein and dopamine degeneration in the brain — with the broad range of clinical symptoms that may occur , including nonmotor , motor and neurological impairments . Using this approach to staging , doctors and researchers can determine where people are in the biological progression of the disease , from stage zero , when there is presence of biological but not symptomatic signs of the disease , through different stages of its biological and symptomatic progression up to stage 6 . It currently applies for approximately 90 percent of people diagnosed with PD and dementia with Lewy Bodies .
The coalition will publish the staging framework , called the neuronal alphasynuclein disease integrated staging system , along with a working biology-based definition for the disease , in early 2024 . In the Lancet Neurology paper , they note that it builds on similar efforts in other neurodegenerative diseases , particularly Alzheimer ’ s .
Recent advances in the field of Alzheimer ’ s preview the important role of the staging framework , according to Catherine Kopil , PhD , MJFF ’ s senior vice president of clinical research . “ Once Alzheimer ’ s had a biologic definition and staging system for the disease , then they could develop clinical trial designs based on enrolling people with that pathology and prove to regulators the risk benefit for those patients ,” she explained .
How Biological Staging Contributes to the Future of Parkinson ’ s
The staging system for PD is expected to evolve as the field gathers more data from wider populations and refines the tools it relies on , something that has occurred with earlier staging frameworks for Alzheimer ’ s , cancer
Next Steps for the New Biomarker
The new test for the presence of abnormal protein alpha-synuclein finally makes definitive diagnosis of Parkinson ’ s possible even before symptoms develop . The test , called the alpha-synuclein seeding amplification assay , or aSyn-SAA , is already impacting the research landscape , but it will need optimized before it can become more widely used , said Mark Frasier , PhD , MJFF ’ s chief scientific officer .
The test currently uses spinal fluid , a relatively difficult to obtain fluid . MJFF is working to develop the test to use a blood draw , nasal swab or skin biopsy instead , which would enable broader use in patient care . A recent study reported promising findings using a blood samplebased test for the first time , Frasier noted .
Plans are underway to expand testing via the landmark MJFF Parkinson ’ s Progression Markers