α-Synuclein in cutaneous autonomic nerves.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To develop a cutaneous biomarker for Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods

Twenty patients with PD and 14 age- and sex-matched control subjects underwent examinations, autonomic testing, and skin biopsies at the distal leg, distal thigh, and proximal thigh. α-Synuclein deposition and the density of intraepidermal, sudomotor, and pilomotor nerve fibers were measured. α-Synuclein deposition was normalized to nerve fiber density (the α-synuclein ratio). Results were compared with examination scores and autonomic function testing.

Results

Patients with PD had a distal sensory and autonomic neuropathy characterized by loss of intraepidermal and pilomotor fibers (p < 0.05 vs controls, all sites) and morphologic changes to sudomotor nerve fibers. Patients with PD had gre

SUBMITTER: Wang N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3806913 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature