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A recent study conducted by researchers in the United Kingdom has revealed that trained dogs can reliably detect a distinct odor associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) through skin swabs.
The findings were published in 'The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease' and were made in collaboration with Medical Detection Dogs and the Universities of Bristol and Manchester.
According to the researchers, dogs could aid in developing a quick, non-invasive, and cost-effective method for identifying individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
A definitive diagnostic test for PD is still lacking, making the identification of potential biomarkers critical for diagnosis and prompt intervention.
“Timely diagnosis is essential as subsequent treatments could potentially slow down disease progression and alleviate symptoms.”
In the trial, detection dogs were able to differentiate between sebum swabs from individuals with and without Parkinson’s disease.
In a double-blind trial, they achieved a sensitivity rate of up to 80 percent and specificity of up to 98 percent.
