A woman who can smell Parkinson

Talent

Written article | Yan Xiaoliu

Source | "Medical Community" public account

After more than ten years of hard work, "smelling Parkinson" has made new progress.

In early September, the American Chemistry Society opened a journal JACS AU research saying that a new type of mass spectrometer was used to complete sebum sample analysis in 2-3 minutes to identify compounds related to Parkinson. These compounds make patients smell very special.

"In the future, clinically may use non -invasive and fast paper swabs, as long as the patient's skin is wiped, Parkinson can be diagnosed." Perdita Barran, a professor at the Department of Chemistry, the author of the communications of the communications and the Department of Chemistry, the University of Manchester, the University of Manchester, the University of Manchester, the University of Manchester Essence

She said the discovery was mainly due to the 72 -year -old retired nurse, Joy Milne.

"Mrs. Mirn has a sense of olfactory. It is her personal talent and pointed out the possibility of smelling the disease." Pattan Barren said.

Caption: Joy Milne participated in research at the University of Manchester, England. /BBC

They smell a taste

Joy Millon suffers from a rare disease: hereditary olfactory allergies.

This makes it particularly sensitive to the smell and often smells the taste that others cannot smell.

Because her nose is too spiritual, she always goes to shop at the mall when she opens or closes the door. "At this time, there is no one in it, and there will be a strong smell of perfume. I will not put the areas of shower gel or shampoo, and I can't stand it."

Her husband, Les Milne, didn't care about it. The two were very loving and walked together for decades.

In 2015, Rice died of illness. It has been 29 years since its clinical diagnosis.

Caption: Les Milne died in 2015 at the age of 65. /BBC

"I felt wrong for Rice more than 10 years ago, because the taste on his body changed." Joey said.

She recalled that at that time, her husband stood beside herself and had a "unpleasant" "moldy" taste on her.

She sniffed carefully. That taste comes from his shoulders and necks.

Initially, Joey felt that this either did not take a bath seriously or related to his work. "Rice is a anesthesiologist who often comes into contact with a strong smell of chemical medicine."

Over time, the smell becomes stronger.

Then, Rice was diagnosed.

In order to better cope with the disease, the couple joined the group of friends and mutual aid organizations, and often participated in activities and exchange experiences.

After several gatherings, Joey found that the taste of the patients was "familiar."

"They smell the same as you." Joey told her husband. Out of the doctor's instinct, Rice asked Joey to smell it again.

"I smelled it again, and the degree is different, but the taste is the same. There is no family member who comes." Joey said.

Caption: take a group photo with her husband. /The Guardian

"God" prediction

In 2009, Pattan Baron received a call from his friend Tilo Kunath.

Tilo worked at the University of Edinburgh, and his main research topics were Parkinson and its biomarkers.

"The University of Edinburgh organized a seminar. Tilo told me that an old woman asked on the spot why those who had degenerative nervous system diseases would emit a unique smell." Pattan said.

At that time, it was found in the clinic that some diseases could be heard. It is well known for diabetes. Due to the high sugar content of patients, patients have a smell different from ordinary people.

Some patients with gastrointestinal diseases and infectious diseases also have a taste. This may be derived from metabolism.

However, few people are concerned that Parkinson and other degenerative nervous system diseases will emit smell.

"Tello never thought of this possibility, but the old lady was very convincing. He asked me if there was a way to prove it." Pattan replied, "This is my profession. Smell is molecular. The brain is in the brain. Some physical fitness 'see' these molecules and transform them into a sense of smell. This is not difficult to prove. "

Caption: Perdita Barran team found that the sebum of Parkinson's patients contain special compounds. /BBC

Pattan team planned a "small test". They found 12 exactly the same T -shirt, which were wearing 6 Parkinson patients and 6 healthy people.

The T -shirt is lined up in one word. Joey heard one by one. She correctly identified the owner of 11 T -shirts.

There is one of the only one, she made a mistake.

"That dress was worn by a healthy person. But Joey made a bite that this person had Parkinson." Tilo recalled, "After the team discussed, he thought that the result could not persuade the funders to continue to invest."

The turnaround occurred 8 months after the end of the test. The "misunderstanding" was diagnosed with Parkinson.

After learning the news, Pattan solemnly told Joey: "When Tiro first said that he could smell Parkinson, the first thing I thought of was that it was an elderly and has nothing to do with disease. Now, I really believe in it. "

The research team realized that if people can hear Parkinson, the machine is certainly possible. In this way, a diagnostic device for Parkinson's related compounds can be developed.

Caption: Tilo Kunath, was taken in 2017. /BBC

The accuracy rate is 90% when smelling the disease

"We need a larger sample." Adhering to this idea, the research team recruited 200 subjects, divided into 4 groups, including 50 unsold Parkinson patients.

The 50th course of 50 diseases and being treated.

Fifty patients with severiax dermatitis are not Parkinson; clinical observation shows that the prevalence of seborrheic dermatitis in Parkinson's patients is significantly higher than that of normal people.

The 50 healthy people are similar to the age and gender of the first three groups.

Joey accurately recognized all groups. She also found that when the patient's condition was not good, the smell would be stronger.

The family members of the subject were also invited to answer to tell some life discovery. Among them, 20 masters say that they have smelled different smells.

Then, the research team conducted further analysis of 64 subjects. Including 43 Parkinson patients and 21 healthy people.

The research team wipes its body with gauze, including underarms, necks and other parts. Then heated these samples to allow volatile gas to separate the compounds through the mass spectrometer.

The instrument can measure each compound composition and content contained in it. As long as the patient's samples and healthy people are compared, you can know what changes in the patient's sebum.

But there are many volatile compounds that have changed. How to identify truly valuable?

The research team invited Joey.

The team installs a "smell pipe" on the device. After the compound is precipitated, the pipe will spread the taste. Joy's task is to stay at the pipeline and smell them one by one.

The picture comes from the American scientist

There are two major discoveries in this study.

First of all, it clarified the "best collection area of ​​the sample", not under the armpits and oral cavity, but the neckline and upper back of the clothes.

Secondly, the study separated 17 specialty compounds. Among them, there are 4 compounds of compounds, which can predict 90%of Parkinson. Specifically, the content of twentyane, horsetal uric acid, and eighteen carbondehyde is significantly increased, and the content of purple sizes decreased.

In 2019, the 10 years after Pattan knew Joey's "special ability", the results of the research were published publicly.

Due to his outstanding performance, Joey was appointed as an honorary lecturer at the University of Manchester and was written into the author's column.

"It is an important subject to identify biomarkers for difficulty diagnosis." Scholars of Italian IRCCS Institute of Neuroscience in Italy commented.

He reminded that subsequent research should be committed to answering the source of these compounds, whether it is the metabolites of the human body, or from the parasitic microorganism. In addition, it is necessary to improve the accuracy and specificity of recognition.

The picture comes from EURONEWS

Tuberculosis may also "smell"

In JACS AU published an article a few days ago, Pattan, Joey and others have new discoveries.

The team confirms 500 biomarkers. Through the new type of mass spectrometer and other equipment, only 3 minutes can recognize the Parkinson -related compounds in the sebaceous sample, identifying 95%of the accuracy.

The research team said that clinical trials were hoped to start in the next two years.

"Parkinson has no healing method. The current mainstream diagnosis method is still came up with in 1817. If the diagnosis can be confirmed as soon as possible, the patient can use the medicine early to delay the progress of the disease." Pattan said.

At present, Joy also cooperates with scientists around the world. She has been to Tanzania and the United States to participate in smelling research such as tuberculosis and cancer.

Sometimes, she can smell Parkinson's patient on the street. "Medical ethics scientists said, I can't go straight up and tell them that they are sick. But in the future may be possible."

Joey wants his "superpowers" to eventually benefit all Parkinson patients.

"It was my husband's expectation to me. Before dying, he told me that Parkinson's patient was very important. We live together for 42 years, and eventually he died in pain. encounter."

The picture comes from Joy Milne@Twitter

Reference materials:

[1] ‘Woman WHO Can Smell Parkinson’ s’Helps scientists dueop test.the guardian

[2] Parkinson's SMELL TEST Explained by Science.bbc

[3] Paper spray Ionization ION MOBILITY MASS SPECTROMETRY of Sebum Classifies Biomarker Classes for The Diagnson ’s Disease.jacs AU.Doi.org/1021/21/jacsau

[4] Discovery of volaomarkers of Parkinson ’s Disease from Sebum.acs Center

Source: medical community

School pair: Zang Hengjia

Responsible editor: Zheng Huaju

*The medical community strives to make any promises and guarantees for the accuracy and reliability of the contents of the content when passing the review, but does not assume the timelyness and integrity of the quotable information (if.) Any responsibility caused by the outdated content and the may not be accurate or incomplete of the cited information. Relevant parties are requested to check or use this as a basis for decision -making.

- END -