Antemortem α-Synuclein levels from neuron-derived extracellular vesicles identify Lewy Body pathology in Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer Disease

The study examined α-synuclein levels in extracellular vesicles derived from neurons as a biomarker for detecting Lewy body pathology. The research included 1,304 individuals, comprising 794 without dementia, 469 with Alzheimer's disease, and 41 with Parkinson's disease. Results showed that α-synuclein levels were significantly elevated in Parkinson's disease patients compared to controls (mean 0.69 versus 0.51). Elevated levels were also confirmed in individuals with neuropathologically confirmed Lewy body pathology in autopsy analysis (28.6% higher values). This blood test represents a non-invasive alternative to current invasive methods such as cerebrospinal fluid puncture or skin biopsy. The research suggests that this biomarker could be useful in clinical practice for detecting synuclein pathology in the brain.