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Joy Milne is a 青瓜视频榮uper smeller青瓜视频�, she has a rare condition called hyperosmia that gives her an extremely sensitive sense of smell. Throughout her life she has experienced the world differently from those with a regular nose, so much so that when she became a nurse, she noticed people with different diseases had different smells. Initially she didn青瓜视频檛 connect the smells to the diseases but when her husband, Les, was diagnosed with Parkinson青瓜视频檚 Disease (PD) that青瓜视频檚 when it all clicked into place.

青瓜视频淢y husband青瓜视频檚 smell changed when he was about 30, it went from a fairly standard musky-man-smell to quite an unpleasant musty smell青瓜视频�, she tells us. 青瓜视频淗e was diagnosed with Parkinson青瓜视频檚 about 12 years later and it was when we attended a Parkinson青瓜视频檚 support group that I realised everyone else there had the same smell青瓜视频�.

It is this unique ability that caught the attention of Perdita Barran, Professor of Mass Spectrometry in the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology at The University of Manchester. 青瓜视频淲e realised that if Joy could smell Parkinson青瓜视频檚, there must be something unique happening in people with Parkinson青瓜视频檚 (PwP), and so we set about trying to identify what ever it was that created the smell青瓜视频�.

Identifying the Parkinson青瓜视频檚 odour

Perdita and Joy have worked closely together over the last few years to identify the particular molecules that give Parkinson青瓜视频檚 its smell. By using mass spectrometry, a technique that measures the weight of molecules, they have found that there are distinctive Parkinson青瓜视频檚 markers in sebum 青瓜视频� an oily substance secreted from the skin.

This breakthrough has led them to develop a non-invasive swab test that can, in conjunction with the onset of early Parkinson青瓜视频檚 symptoms, identify Parkinson青瓜视频檚 disease with around a 95% accuracy. What青瓜视频檚 even more astounding is the speed with which the test can return a result; around 3 minutes under lab conditions. A fast test is a cheaper test, a key factor if it is to be rolled out in a clinical setting, but it would also help to reduce patient wait times. Currently in the UK it can take many months to see a Parkinson青瓜视频檚 disease specialist, which is the only way to receive an official diagnosis. But if the swab test could pre-select those who need to be referred for an official diagnosis, the number of people on the waiting list would decrease and so too would the waiting time.

青瓜视频淎t the moment we rely on the, mostly, neurological symptoms that have physical manifestations to diagnose Parkinson青瓜视频檚,青瓜视频� Perdita explains; 青瓜视频渢hese symptoms often don青瓜视频檛 present until the disease is already well-progressed which obviously limits our treatment options青瓜视频�.

青瓜视频淚f we can use a chemical diagnostic test, such as the one we青瓜视频檙e working on, then it could open up a whole new array of treatment options to patients, it could also help close the gender gap in Parkinson青瓜视频檚 diagnosis青瓜视频�.

The difficulty with diagnosis

Parkinson青瓜视频檚 is difficult to diagnose due the myriad symptoms it can present with, and these symptoms can also vary widely from patient to patient. Additionally, many of the symptoms seen in Parkinson青瓜视频檚 can be attributed to other conditions. To address this, there needs to be a greater awareness around the symptoms and how they present in patients. But following on from the Covid-19 pandemic, with increased demands on GPs, many patients do not get the diagnosis they need.

青瓜视频淏eing a GP is difficult and you can青瓜视频檛 possibly know everything about everything, but when Parkinson青瓜视频檚 affects around 1 in 500 people in the UK, and has such a huge impact on a person青瓜视频檚 life,  symptoms need to be identified quickly青瓜视频�, Joy says.

There are for Parkinson青瓜视频檚, so to help healthcare professionals keep up-to-date Joy, also a retired nurse, has recently worked with Parkinson青瓜视频檚 UK to develop an

青瓜视频淭his course is for anyone who gives care to someone, whether that be a nurse or a family member. It青瓜视频檚 there青瓜视频檚 to guide them through all the information that青瓜视频檚 currently available, tailored to their current level of knowledge,青瓜视频� says Joy. But of course, resources are only useful if they are known about and used.

Raising awareness

Joy is on a mission to raise awareness around Parkinson青瓜视频檚 diagnosis both for healthcare professionals but also for those living with the disease. Naturally her extraordinary gift, along with Perdita青瓜视频檚 remarkable research has attracted a lot of media attention.

青瓜视频淭his media interest has been incredible for raising the profile of the disease and its symptoms青瓜视频� Joy says, 青瓜视频淚青瓜视频檓 so glad that we青瓜视频檙e starting to make it into the public consciousness and people are becoming more aware of their own symptoms, getting better at communicating those with medical professionals, and medical professionals getting better at understanding, recognising and diagnosing them青瓜视频�.

Alongside her work with Parkinson青瓜视频檚 UK, she also works with the , a global network of people with the mission of changing how Parkinson青瓜视频檚 is diagnosed and treated, as well as the Women in PD group which addresses how Parkinson青瓜视频檚 in women can differ from Parkinson青瓜视频檚 in men.

What the future holds

The future is improving for PwP, advances in diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and our general knowledge and understanding of the disease are producing better ways to treat and manage symptoms.

The diagnostic test will be a gamechanger if rolled out to hospitals and other primary care settings, not only reducing wait times but also providing more accurate and timely diagnosis. This is especially important for women and young people.

Awareness continues to build around the disease which helps to lessen the stigma attached to it, which in turn could help to reduce some of the mental health issues that accompany symptoms. And further research into the causes of Parkinson青瓜视频檚, along with pharmaceutical and lifestyle advancements are helping those with the disease to live more normal lives.

If you want to see more from Perdita and Joy, you will be able to see them on Tuesday 04 October 2022, in a new ITV documentary called 青瓜视频楶utting up with Parkinson青瓜视频檚青瓜视频�. The show follows Jeremy Paxman as he talks about his experience living with Parkinson's and his journey around the country speaking with those who are at the forefront of fighting the disease.