New research has suggested that testing a portion of a
person's saliva gland may be a means of diagnosing Parkinson's Disease. It was
previously shown in autopsies of people with Parkinson's Disease that the
abnormal proteins associated with Parkinson's are consistently found in the
submandibular saliva glands, which are found under the lower jaw.
The study involved 15
people with an average age of 68 who had Parkinson's disease for an average of
12 years, who responded to Parkinson's medication and who did not have known
saliva gland disorders. Biopsies were taken of two different saliva glands. The
abnormal Parkinson's protein was detected in nine of the 11 patients who had
enough tissue to study. This is the first study demonstrating the value of
testing a portion of the saliva gland to diagnose a living person with
Parkinson's Disease. 
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