Ear wax could offer Parkinson’s disease clues, suggests a new study

Ear wax can provide an unexpected early warning of Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to new research.

In particular, their smell could help clinicals detect the progressive neurological movement disorder, they pointed out researchers in the study, published in Analytic Chemistry.

Parkinson’s are usually diagnosed after an individual demonstrates symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia (slowdown) and gear changes, according to health experts.

The study suggested that volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are released by sebum (oily secretions that help lubricate and protect the skin) to the wax of the ear of individuals with Parkinson, have a certain distinctive smell.

The smell is the result of systemic inflammation, neurodegeneration and oxidative stress related to the progression of the disease, as indicated in the report of the American Chemical Society.

“There is evidence that patients with Parkinson’s disease produce an excess of sebum and other research groups have shown that there are particular chemical profiles of this tallow compared to patients without PDs,” said Dr. Joohi Jimenez-Shahed, medical director of movement disorders, neuromodulation and brain circuit therapeutics in the Ichn School of Medicine. Sinai, in New York City, told Fox News Digital.

(Jimenez-Shahed was not affiliated with the study.)

In this recent study, China researchers analyzed the wax tampons of the hearing channels of 209 participants, 108 of which had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

Using specialized methods for analyzing the chemicals in the wax, researchers found that four of the COVs in people with the disease were significantly different from those who had not been diagnosed, the study was detailed.

They came to the conclusion that four COVs (Ethilbenzene, 4-Ethylolin, Penanal and 2-Pentadecil-1,3-Dioxolà) can serve as potential biomarkers for the PD.

Researchers used ear wax data collected to form an artificial intelligence system (AIO), a technology that uses sensors to simulate the sense of human smell to detect and analyze COV.

According to the report, the AIO system showed 94% precision with ear wax samples of people with and without Parkinson.

The authors of the study suggested that the AIO system could be used eventually as a front -line screening tool for precocious Parkinson’s detection, allowing previous treatment to the disease.

Most current treatments only manage symptoms and help maintain quality of life, but do not stop or revers the disease, which causes early diagnosis and treatment to be vital, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Ninds).

The report also said that current Parkinson’s tests, such as image studies and clinical qualification scales, may be expensive and subjective.

This potential detection system could provide an easy and economical way to test the disease, although experts said that more tests are needed.

Limitations and future research

The study was carried out on a small scale on a single clinic in China, according to Hao Dong, one of the authors of the study of the Fundamental Studies Research Center of Frontier in China.

“The next step is to carry out more research at different stages of the disease, in various research centers and between various ethnic groups, to determine if this method has greater practical application value,” Dong said in a statement.

Jimenez-Shahed said that ideally this new method could serve as an early diagnostic test, potentially easier than using spinal fluid, skin biopsies, or specialized explorations.

The above expert, who is also an associate professor of neurology and neurosurgery at Ichn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, warned that particular ear wax profiles reported in the recent study may differ from the findings of other studies.

“There must be replication and/or expansion of sample size before determining the specific diagnostic potential of a test like this,” he added.

Those who are concerned about Parkinson’s potential risk must consult with a movement neurologist or specialist, Jimenez-Shahed advised.

A specialist can carefully analyze the individual for early warning signs and determine the need for subsequent diagnostic tests or treatment.

The study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of Science, Pioneer and Leading Goose R&D in the province of Zhejiang and the fundamental research funds for central universities.

Fox News Digital contacted the study authors for more comments.