Inspired by the story of a woman who "could smell" that her husband had become ill before he was formally diagnosed with Parkinson's, scientists at the University of Manchester have developed an astonishing new test for the neurological illness.
The new test could help diagnose Parkinson's in just three minutes by using a skin swab. The test looks for changes in the oily layer that protects the skin - that's called the sebum. The illness affects brain function and mobility, and has no known cure.
It does this using mass spectrometry - which identifies compounds based on weight.
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