Objective: This study aimed to assess the use of alpha-synuclein as a biomarker for PD screening and investigate its correlation with disease severity.
Background: The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) currently relies on clinical judgment. The search for validated biomarkers for diagnostic accuracy continues worldwide. The symptoms of PD might differ from person to person. Early symptoms may be modest and go unreported, misdiagnosis is frequent since symptoms overlap with other neurological illnesses. There remains, therefore, a critical need for validated biomarkers and alphasynuclein is a key contributor to PD pathology. Unfortunately, there is limited data on using alpha-synuclein levels for PD in Ghana, which this study aims to address.
Method: At the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Ghana, a descriptive cross-sectional study recruited 80 participants from the Neurology clinic, with 40 PD cases and 40 healthy controls. Saliva samples were collected from each participant for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis. The severity of PD was assessed using the Hoehn and Yahr rating scale, categorizing disease stages from 1 (least severe) to 5.
Results: Results showed significantly higher saliva concentrations of alpha-synuclein in PD patients compared to controls (52.19ng/mL vs. 34.12ng/mL, p = 0.017). However, alpha-synuclein concentrations did not significantly vary across PD stages (p = 0.701), although a downward trend was observed from stage 1 to stage 5. The overall accuracy for using alpha-synuclein levels in diagnosing Parkinson’s disease in patients is 66% with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 53% to 78%.
Conclusion: The study establishes alpha-synuclein as a potential biomarker for PD screening and diagnosis. Furthermore, saliva alpha-synuclein can potentially aid in early diagnosis and improve the management of PD. The findings of this study highlight the significance of saliva alpha-synuclein as a versatile biomarker for PD screening, diagnosis, and monitoring, particularly in resource-limited settings.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
YAW. Osei, SF. Sarfo, FAY. Yeboah Agyemang. Novel Usage of Alpha Synuclein as a Biomarker for Screening Parkinson’s disease at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2025; 40 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/novel-usage-of-alpha-synuclein-as-a-biomarker-for-screening-parkinsons-disease-at-komfo-anokye-teaching-hospital-in-ghana/. Accessed October 5, 2025.« Back to 2025 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/novel-usage-of-alpha-synuclein-as-a-biomarker-for-screening-parkinsons-disease-at-komfo-anokye-teaching-hospital-in-ghana/