![]() The use of sebum as a diagnostic tool for PD provides an exciting prospect from which a non-invasive and inexpensive test could be developed to detect the onset of the disease. ![]() Alterations in the expression of metabolites and the downstream effects on their corresponding metabolic pathways have also been extensively studied for PD diagnostics within the blood and CSF metabolome, including: catecholamines, dopamine metabolites, amino acids, and urate alongside fatty acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and kynurenine metabolism 19, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29. LC-MS has been used to study a number of biofluids in relation to PD prognosis and diagnosis, such as blood, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) facilitates the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the wide range of molecular species found within complex mixtures such as sebum. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a leading analytical technique for clinical metabolomics analyses and when hyphenated to chromatography, benefits from increased resolution and sensitivity 17, 18. The analysis of complex mixtures of metabolites present in a lipid-rich biofluid such as sebum, calls for a sensitive and robust analytical platform. In our recent study, we have reported the presence and differential regulation of volatile organic compounds in the sebum of PwP 16. Studies of sebum are commonplace in dermatological conditions such as acne, however sebum as a biofluid has rarely been used in disease diagnostics. It serves as a protective agent to the skin providing waterproofing, thermoregulation, and photoprotection, alongside suggested antimicrobial and antioxidant activities 14, 15. ![]() Sebum is a complex lipid-rich substance that is predominantly composed of triglycerides, fatty acids, wax esters, squalene, and cholesterol 13. This condition presents as “oily skin” that correlates to an excess of sebum, produced and secreted by the sebaceous glands in the dermis of the skin. Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a common non-motor symptom reported in up to 60% of people with Parkinson’s (PwP) 11, 12. Non-motor symptoms are thought to precede motor symptoms by upto 20 years, some of these include: mood disorders, sleep disorders, and olfactory deficits 9, 10. ![]() A formal diagnosis often occurs following the depletion of 60–80% of the brains dopaminergic neurons 2. These clinical manifestations normally present as a combination of one or more of the four cardinal signs of PD, namely bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, and postural instability 7, 8. Clinical diagnosis is achieved primarily through observations by a physician, of the decline in motor functions 5, 6. There is no conclusive preclinical diagnostic test for PD. The disease is also characterised by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta producing a decline in striatal dopamine levels and subsequent loss of motor function 4. The principal pathological hallmark of PD is the formation of aggregated α-synuclein deposits in the brainstem, which are the major components of Lewy bodies 2, 3. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting over 6 million globally, second only in prevalence to Alzheimer’s disease 1.
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