Doctors issue new way to check for Parkinson's disease following ultra-processed foods warning

Scientists have discovered a ground-breaking new way to detect Parkinson's disease, which could help treat the progressive condition earlier.

An estimated 10 million people are living with the neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, with 90,000 new cases diagnosed in the US each year, according to Parkinson's Foundation.

Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that slowly gets worse over time. Its symptoms generally develop gradually and are mild at first, with the main signs impacting physical movement, including a tremor, slowness of movement and muscle stiffness.

Other symptoms include balance problems, nerve pain and loss of smell. There is no cure for Parkinson's disease; however, certain treatments can help elevate the symptoms.

Detecting Parkinson's disease early can be hard as there is no definitive test, as well as other conditions also having similar symptoms, and some patients may not initially meet the diagnostic criteria.

However, scientists in China have discovered an possibly easier and less invasive method for detecting Parkinson’s disease early. And a rather unusual method held the key.

Parkinson's is typically diagnosed via brain scans (Moment Makers Group/Getty Images)

Turns out, the scent of our ear wax has a lot to answer for. Yes, you read that right.

Why ear wax? Well, it's made mostly of a skin oil called sebum, and earlier studies showed that sebum from people with Parkinson's disease seemingly smells different.

That’s because disease progression can affect body chemistry, causing changes in certain tiny molecules (called VOCs, or volatile organic compounds) released by sebum.

But testing sebum from the skin can be tricky, as outside air and pollution can change its makeup. Ear wax, however, is more protected and stable, so it's a better place to look.

So, researchers from the American Chemical Society's Analytical Chemistry report took ear wax samples from 209 people - 108 had Parkinson’s disease and 101 didn’t.

The study tested people's ear wax sebum (AnthonyRosenberg/Getty Images)

They used advanced lab techniques - called gas chromatography and mass spectrometry - to identify the VOCs in the samples.

The scientists found four VOCs that were different in people with Parkinson’s: methylbenzene, 4-ethyltoluene, pentanal, and 2-pentadecyl-1,3-dioxolane.

They then used this chemical data to train a kind of artificial intelligence called an AIO (Artificial Intelligence Olfactory) system, which works as a digital nose to recognize the smell pattern possibly linked to Parkinson's.

The system was found to be 94 percent accurate in telling who had Parkinson’s and who didn’t just from the ear wax samples.

Scientist Hao Dong explained what the study's next steps are.

He said: "This method is a small-scale single-center experiment in China. The next step is to conduct further research at different stages of the disease, in multiple research centers and among multiple ethnic groups, in order to determine whether this method has greater practical application value."

The break-through comes as a study recently linked developing Parkinson's to consuming ultra-processed foods.

We likely consume more processed foods than we realize (annabogush/Getty stock image)

Researchers found that people who ate 11 or more servings of ultra-processed foods per day were 2.5 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s than those who didn’t.

One serving could include one can of soda, one tablespoon of ketchup, one hot dog, or even an ounce of potato chips.

The study followed more than 42,800 people for up to 26 years, and everyone was Parkinson’s-free at the start.

Participants were around 48 years old on average, and researchers tracked their diets and health over time.

They found a strong link between high ultra-processed foods and early signs of Parkinson’s, with bread and cereal being the only exceptions.

Scientists think the problem lies in what's added to these processed foods: added sugars, salt and saturated fats.

These ingredients may cause inflammation or stress in the body, which over time could affect the brain and increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.