Parkinson's Disease and the Role of Neuroimaging in the Early Diagnosis of the Disease

Introduction: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that is increasing worldwide. Thedisease usually occurs in older people, but it can also affect younger people. An accurate diagnosis in the earlystages of the disease is of great value as it can help in the prognosis and therapeutic management of the disease.Methods: For this study, articles applying neuroimaging to Parkinson's disease were collected using platformssuch as Scopus, Google Scholar, and Research Gate.Results: The diagnosis of this disease is based on clinical criteria. The main symptoms include hand tremors,bradykinesis, and stiffness. Secondary motor symptoms include hypomimia, dysarthria, dysphagia, andsialorrhea. Non-movement symptoms may include autonomic dysfunction, cognitive dysfunction, and sensoryabnormalities such as anosmia, paresthesia, and pain. The results of the studies showed that neuroimagingbiomarkers are needed to increase diagnostic confidence and ensure more informed diagnostic decisions.Multiple biomarkers derived from different neuroimaging modalities can provide distinct yet confirmatoryinformation about the underlying neurodegenerative processes. The most commonly used neuroimagingbiomarkers included susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), diffusion MRI, glucose and tau positron emissiontomography (PET), proton MRI, structural and functional MRI (fMRI), single photon emission computedtomography (SPECT), dopamine buffering capacity imaging, and combinations of these approaches.Conclusion: Parkinson's disease is a warning and threatening disease for our future generations that should betaken seriously. Early diagnosis is important. Neuroimaging, mutations, abnormalities, and biological tests canhelp diagnose this disease. Further studies and trials in the future can be effective in the clinical application ofneuroimaging to help Parkinson's patients manage this disease.

کلیدواژه ها:

Parkinson's disease ، neuroimaging ، clinical signs ، early diagnosis