From blood and spinal fluid to skin – insights into different biomarkers for MND
Original source
From blood and spinal fluid to skin – insights into different biomarkers for MND (opens in a new tab)Related topics
Abnormal TDP-43 clumps were found in skin samples from 17 people who were symptom-free at the time and later developed motor neurone disease (MND). The highest levels were found in sweat glands from the shoulder and back. Researchers are investigating whether skin could provide a minimally invasive biomarker before symptoms begin.
Why this matters
A skin-based biomarker could eventually help researchers identify MND-related changes before neurological symptoms appear. This early finding does not currently change diagnosis or treatment, and further studies are needed to show how reliably the approach works.
Limitations and context
This information comes from an MND Association blog describing a biomarker session, rather than a primary research paper. The reported study included 17 people, and the source does not provide details of a comparison group, testing accuracy or peer review. The finding remains exploratory and would need validation in larger studies.