March 30, 2026

@michaelokun

Tears of alpha synuclein? Parkinson’s disease detected in your tears: a new window into brain biology? What does alpha synuclein seeding mean? It refers to a process where tiny misfolded proteins act like templates that trigger other proteins to misfold, allowing scientists to detect disease signals even at very low levels. Sezgi Canaslan and colleagues describe in a new paper that just dropped in NPJ Parkinson’s Disease how tear fluid may reveal Parkinson’s biology using a sensitive protein amplification assay. Key Points: - Tear fluid showed detectable alpha synuclein seeding activity in about two thirds of folks w/ Parkinson’s disease, while controls remained negative. - The assay was able to distinguish Parkinson’s disease from controls and even from prion diseases by using a noninvasive sample. - Tear based testing had lower sensitivity than CSF, but offered important advantages including ease of collection and repeatability. My take: This is fascinating however not surprising. The technology is definitely not ready for routine use, however it points to a future where diagnosis and tracking may become simpler, safer, and more accessible. There may be clues in many body fluids and we may be able to harness them for science and for medicine. Here are 5 points that resonated w/ me: 1- Parkinson’s disease biology can be detected outside the brain; in this case in your tears. 2- Misfolded protein amplification assays are extremely sensitive and can detect disease signals at very low levels. 3- Tear testing is noninvasive, and could be performed repeatedly over time, though making people cry may limit the technique! 4- Current accuracy is promising but not yet sufficient to replace established approaches. 5- The future may include screening and early detection strategies using accessible fluids like tears, saliva or blood. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41531-026-01282-2 #parkinson #michaelokun #fixelinstitute