Health
Early Parkinson’s could be detected decades before symptoms with simple blood test
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A new study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, along with Oslo University Hospital in Norway, may have discovered a way to detect biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease in the blood up to decades earlier.
In the very early stages of the disease, the body goes through changes related to DNA repair and stress in cells. These changes leave detectable clues in the blood before major brain damage occurs, according to a press release for the study.
This could allow for early detection of Parkinson’s, when treatments might have a better chance of slowing or preventing serious damage.
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The processes of DNA repair and cellular stress response can occur for up to 20 years in Parkinson’s patients before motor symptoms fully develop, according to the researchers.
The team used machine learning to discover patterns linked to these processes, which were not found in healthy individuals or patients who were already diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
European researchers discovered a way to detect early Parkinson’s disease via a blood test. (iStock)
Annikka Polster, assistant professor at the Department of Life Sciences at Chalmers who led the study, suggested in a statement that the study has found an “important window of opportunity” in which the disease can be detected “before motor symptoms caused by nerve damage in the brain appear.”
“The fact that these patterns only show at an early stage and are no longer activated when the disease has progressed further also makes it interesting to focus on the mechanisms to find future treatments,” she added.
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Polster confirmed that the study highlighted biomarkers that “likely reflect some of the early biology of the disease,” which “paves the way for broad screening tests via blood samples: a cost-effective, easily accessible method.”
The findings were published in npj Parkinson’s Disease.
Blood tests for early Parkinson’s diagnosis could become more common, researchers predicted. (iStock)
The researchers plan to further develop tools to more easily detect these active mechanisms and understand how they work, according to the university.
The team predicts that, within five years, blood tests for early Parkinson’s diagnoses could become more common within clinical practice. They are also optimistic about the development of new drugs to prevent or treat the disease.
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“If we can study the mechanisms as they happen, it could provide important keys to understanding how they can be stopped and which drugs might be effective,” Polster said.
“This may involve new drugs, but also drug repurposing, where we can use drugs developed for diseases other than Parkinson’s because the same gene activities or mechanisms are active.”
More than 10 million people around the world are estimated to be living with Parkinson’s disease. (iStock)
Study limitations
The researchers acknowledged that the study had some limitations, including that the gene activity measured in the blood only partly matches what’s happening in the brain.
External factors, such as medication use, may have affected the results, they added.
Also, the study population may not represent all people, so findings may not apply broadly.
By the numbers
More than 10 million people around the world are estimated to be living with Parkinson’s disease, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. About 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed each year.
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Numbers are expected to continue rising because Parkinson’s is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s.
While research is advancing, there is no cure for the disease, although medications are available to manage symptoms.
Common motor symptoms of Parkinson’s include tremors, slowed movement, muscle stiffness, balance and walking difficulties. (iStock)
Common motor symptoms include tremors, slowed movement, muscle stiffness, balance and walking difficulties, a shuffling gait and freezing episodes.
Non-motor symptoms include loss of smell, sleep problems, constipation, fatigue, depression or anxiety, speech and swallowing changes, cognitive slowing and reduced facial expression, according to Parkinson’s Foundation and Mayo Clinic.
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Danish Anwer, a doctoral student at the Department of Life Sciences at Chalmers and the study’s first author, detailed in a statement how Parkinson’s affects the brain.
“By the time the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease appear, 50% to 80% of the relevant brain cells are often already damaged or gone,” he said. “The study is an important step toward facilitating early identification of the disease and counteracting its progression before it has gone this far.”
“By the time you have actual motor symptoms … a large majority of affected cells have been damaged and destroyed.”
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel agreed that Parkinson’s is a “very difficult disease” with an increasing global impact.
“By the time you have actual motor symptoms affecting gait, tremor, etc., a large majority of affected cells have been damaged and destroyed,” he told Fox News Digital.
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Siegel called the new research “exciting,” suggesting that it “opens the door for earlier and more effective diagnosis and treatment.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.
Health
Measles-infected traveler may have exposed passengers at LAX and nearby hotel, health officials warn
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A traveler infected with measles may have exposed passengers at Los Angeles International Airport and guests at a nearby hotel after arriving in Los Angeles County earlier this month, health officials said Wednesday.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said it is investigating a confirmed measles case involving a traveler who arrived aboard Cathay Pacific Flight CX 884 on June 11. The traveler was infectious while passing through Los Angeles County, potentially exposing others at LAX and the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel.
The case marks the sixth measles infection reported in Los Angeles County this year. Health officials said the risk of exposure could increase as summer travel ramps up and Los Angeles welcomes international visitors for FIFA World Cup events being held in the region.
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A 3D illustration shows measles virus particles. (iStock)
According to health officials, anyone who was at the Tom Bradley International Terminal between 10 a.m. and noon on June 11 may have been exposed. Officials also identified a potential exposure at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel, located at 5711 W. Century Blvd., between 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. that same day.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working with local health departments to notify passengers who were seated near the infected traveler on the international flight.
People who were at either location during the listed times could develop symptoms between seven and 21 days after exposure, officials said. The last day to monitor for symptoms is July 2.
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Los Angeles International Airport is seen in Los Angeles, California. Health officials said a traveler infected with measles may have exposed passengers at LAX on June 11. (Michael Yanow/NurPhoto)
“As measles cases increase, it is important that residents take steps to make sure they are fully protected,” Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said. “The MMR vaccine is the safest and most reliable way to prevent measles and protect yourself, your family, and your community.”
Travelers exit a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on Monday, March 23, 2026. (Ethan Swope/AP Photo)
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Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, followed by a rash that typically begins on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for additional comment but did not receive a response.
new video loaded: Wii Bowling Takes Over Tulsa Retirement Homes
transcript
transcript
Wii Bowling Takes Over Tulsa Retirement Homes
Retirement communities in Tulsa, Okla., compete against one another in a Nintendo Wii Sports bowling league.
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“That’s how you win.” “There you go, Ron.” “Way to go.”
By Nick Oxford, Alisa Shodiyev Kaff and Alexandra E. Petri
June 19, 2026
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As the popularity of GLP-1 drugs continues to climb, significant weight loss associated with the medications has been linked to a growing list of cosmetic concerns.
Some surgeons report that more patients are seeking treatments for so-called “Ozempic earlobes,” which reportedly appear thinner, longer or more sagging after the loss of facial fat.
“The use of semaglutides causes you to lose fat across your body, including the small, fat pads of the earlobes,” facial plastic surgeon Sachin S. Parikh, MD, told NewBeauty.
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“It’s important to note that semaglutides do not damage ear tissue or affect hearing in any way, so any intervention would be purely cosmetic,” added the California-based doctor.
Some of the potential treatments for “Ozempic earlobes” may include dermal filler, fat transfer, laser treatments or surgical earlobe reduction, according to the report.
As the popularity of GLP-1 drugs continues to climb, significant weight loss associated with the medications has been linked to a growing list of cosmetic concerns. (iStock)
Dr. Mohammed Asif from Duly Health and Care in Naperville, Illinois, said that while he hasn’t personally noticed an uptick in ear surgeries, he has seen a rise in other procedures due to GLP-1-triggered weight loss.
Some of those include panniculectomies (Ozempic skin removal surgery) and abdominoplasties (tummy tucks).
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“There has been a significant increase in body contouring procedures among patients with GLP-1 weight loss,” Asif told Fox News Digital.
“In my practice, I’ve seen a significant surge in breast lifts, panniculectomies (skin removal surgery), abdominoplasties (tummy tucks), brachioplasties (arm lifts) and thighplasties due to weight loss.”
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Healing and recovery are “far greater and less complicated” than with bariatric surgery weight loss, Asif noted.
“This is due to the gradual weight loss achieved over time with GLP-1s.”
“Ozempic breast” is another common complaint, according to Dr. Michael Omidi, a double board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in Beverly Hills.
“There has been a significant increase in body contouring procedures among patients with GLP-1 weight loss,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“Women in their 30s and 40s would not typically need a breast lift, but when you’re taking drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy that cause rapid weight loss, women can see gravity take its toll on their breasts,” he told Fox News Digital.
“When women, especially younger ones, lose fat too fast, it causes the breasts, which are comprised of fat, glandular tissue and skin, to lose volume,” he went on. “The skin and supporting ligaments don’t always bouce back at the same rate as the weight loss, resulting in breasts that can appear saggy and deflated.”
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Dr. Samuel Golpanian, a double board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, said he has seen “dozens” of patients – men and women alike – seeking treatments for so-called “Ozempic butt” after significant weight loss.
“This is an unintended consequence of taking GLP-1s,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“Such dramatic weight loss in a short period of time causes the skin not to tighten quickly enough to keep up with the body’s changes. Our buttocks have a large amount of fat, so when that volume disappears quickly, you’ll develop a flatter, saggier behind.”
“Such dramatic weight loss in a short period of time causes the skin not to tighten quickly enough to keep up with the body’s changes,” a surgeon said. (iStock)
Kristy Hamilton, MD, a Houston-based surgeon who is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), agreed that a growing number of patients are seeking skin-tightening procedures after losing large amounts of weight with GLP-1s.
“We’re absolutely seeing more of those patients, and I expect that trend to continue,” said Hamilton in an ASPS report.
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“People are losing as much as 100 pounds on this medication – and when you’re losing that amount, that’s significant. You’re certainly going to have excess skin afterward.”
The ASPS lists the following body-contouring procedures as the ones most frequently performed after substantial weight loss.
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- Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty): Removes excess abdominal skin and fat
- Lower body lift (belt lipectomy): Addresses the abdomen, buttocks, hips and thighs
- Arm lift (brachioplasty): Removes hanging upper-arm skin
- Thigh lift: Tightens excess skin of the inner thighs
- Breast lift (mastopexy): Addresses sagging, deflated breasts after weight loss
- Facelift/neck lift: Addresses facial volume loss and skin laxity after major weight loss
“People are losing as much as 100 pounds on this medication – and when you’re losing that amount, that’s significant. You’re certainly going to have excess skin afterward.” (iStock)
Experts say adequate protein intake and resistance training can help minimize the loss of lean muscle mass that often accompanies rapid weight loss, which could reduce some of the cosmetic concerns.
Golpanian also emphasized the importance of eating enough protein.
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“It can be harder since your appetite is suppressed, but it’s so important to consume at least 110 grams of protein a day while taking a GLP-1 drug,” he advised.
“Also, I say this to my patients all the time: You have to lift weights to keep your muscles from atrophying. Strength training can help build muscles and preserve your glutes.”
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