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Date: Thu, 30 Mar 1995 18:55:28 EST From: [log in to unmask] (MR ROBERT A MARTONE) X-Mailer: PRODIGY Services Company Internet mailer [PIM 3.2-342.56] Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Test that detects PD early This just came across on Prodigy. Anybody have any more detail about it? Test Developed For Parkinson's TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- A new test for Parkinson'sdisease can detect symptoms in the earliest stages,before the disease has damaged the brain enough toseriously impair speech and movement, researcherssay. The test measures the speed of wrist movement,the sense of smell and the level of depression --three areas affected early in the stages of theneurological disease. The symptoms often aredismissed or misdiagnosed as aging or mood swings. ``We know there are many patients whose symptomsare not recognized, who are not being diagnosed andnot getting treated,'' said Dr. Erwin Montgomery ofthe University of Arizona, an expert on Parkinson'swho developed the test with Dr. William Koller ofthe University of Kansas. ``By the time most people have obvious symptoms,we know that they have lost 80 percent of theirneurons,'' he said. An estimated 500,000 to 1 million Americans haveParkinson's disease, which robs people of controlover their movements, senses and mood. The diseaseresults from the death of brain cells that producethe chemical dopamine, which controls nerveimpulses. In a survey of 93 patients, Montgomery found ittook a year for 22 percent to be diagnosed, twoyears for 8 percent. The new test was 90 percentaccurate on 100 patients. A drug is now available to slow Parkinson's,putting ``tremendous pressure on us now to diagnosethe disease as early as we can,'' said Montgomery,who recently presented the results at aninternational neurological society meeting inSeattle. ``I think it's exciting,'' said Dr. Ray Watts, aneurologist with Emory University in Atlanta.``That combination of tests is certainly rationalbased on what's known. They may prove useful in aclinical setting.'' Copied from the PRODIGY(R) service 03/30/95 18:41 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- Bob Martone [log in to unmask] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- .