Roughly 2.5 million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s disease and other similar disorders including dementia with Lewy Body Disease and Multisystem Atrophy. Almost 200,000 Americans are diagnosed each year with Parkinson’s Disease alone. This group of neurodegenerative conditions is called Synucleinopathies. These conditions have similar presentations including tremors and cognitive changes; all have an abnormal protein called P-SYN found in nerve fibers in the skin.
Researchers have found that a simple minimally invasive skin biopsy can detect with 95% accuracy an abnormal type of alpha-synuclein. This technique called Syn-One is not yet FDA-approved as a diagnostic test for PD but it is available as an assay to determine if a tissue sample contains phosphorylated alpha-synuclein. It notably can be billed through Medicare.
BeCareLink is a remote mobile app that quantifies the neurologic exam, specifically assessing for the presence of tremor and other motor and cognitive abnormalities associated with synucleinopathies. Our app can be used to screen for one of these neurodegenerative disorders and to monitor clinical response to medical treatment if the diagnosis is made.