Home › Research › Getting a diagnosis
Transcriptomic analysis of plasma small extracellular vesicles identifies potential diagnostic biomarkers for Parkinson's disease dementia
Anto Praveen Rajkumar, Abdul Hye, Shirlee Tan, Holly Green, Richard Killick, Zubair Ahmed Nizamudeen, Fatma Büşra Işık, Grazziela Patrocinio Figueredo et al.. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 2025-12-09
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
We identified 51 transcriptome-wide significant (edgeR q < 0.05) DEGs, compared to controls, and 26 transcriptome-wide significant DEGs, compared to PD, in PDD plasma SEV. The identified DEGs, which included WNT5A, MAPT, FOSB, MIR324, MIR574, MIR3161, and MIR6821 were significantly enriched among Tetrahydrofolate salvage, Reelin signalling, tRNA splicing, Wnt signalling, and ERBB signalling pathways. We identified eight potential multiplex plasma SEV RNA biomarker assays that can distinguish PDD from PD with at least 80 % sensitivity and specificity using an artificial intelligence-based algorithm. Future research on the identified dysfunctional molecular pathways may facilitate discovery of novel therapeutic targets for PDD. Diagnostic biomarker potential of the derived multiplex RNA biomarker assays should be investigated by larger clinical studies.
Key findings
- We identified 51 transcriptome-wide significant (edgeR q < 0.05) DEGs, compared to controls, and 26 transcriptome-wide significant DEGs, compared to PD, in PDD plasma SEV.
- The identified DEGs, which included WNT5A, MAPT, FOSB, MIR324, MIR574, MIR3161, and MIR6821 were significantly enriched among Tetrahydrofolate salvage, Reelin signalling, tRNA splicing, Wnt signalling, and ERBB signalling pathways.
- We identified eight potential multiplex plasma SEV RNA biomarker assays that can distinguish PDD from PD with at least 80 % sensitivity and specificity using an artificial intelligence-based algorithm.
- Future research on the identified dysfunctional molecular pathways may facilitate discovery of novel therapeutic targets for PDD.
- Diagnostic biomarker potential of the derived multiplex RNA biomarker assays should be investigated by larger clinical studies.
Why it matters
This study identified RNA biomarkers in plasma small extracellular vesicles that could distinguish Parkinson's disease dementia from Parkinson's disease with at least 80% sensitivity and specificity. The authors note that future research on the identified pathways may help find new therapeutic targets, but no treatment is tested here.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Getting a diagnosis →
Study details
- Participants15
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Parkinsonism & Related Disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Parkinsonism & Related Disorders: journal h-index 155 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 15 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 3 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Dag Aarsland: h-index 141 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Karolinska Institutet: institution h-index 1,477 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41385896) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108150
- PubMed: 41385896
- Original source →
- Free full text: Parkinsonism & Related Disorders →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Rajkumar, A. P., Hye, A., Tan, S., Green, H., Killick, R., Nizamudeen, Z. A., et al. (2025). Transcriptomic analysis of plasma small extracellular vesicles identifies potential diagnostic biomarkers for Parkinson's disease dementia. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108150
Vancouver
Rajkumar AP, Hye A, Tan S, Green H, Killick R, Nizamudeen ZA, et al. Transcriptomic analysis of plasma small extracellular vesicles identifies potential diagnostic biomarkers for Parkinson's disease dementia. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108150. PMID: 41385896.
BibTeX
@article{rajkumar2025-41385896,
author = {Rajkumar, Anto Praveen and Hye, Abdul and Tan, Shirlee and Green, Holly and Killick, Richard and Nizamudeen, Zubair Ahmed and Işık, Fatma Büşra and Figueredo, Grazziela Patrocinio and others},
title = {{Transcriptomic analysis of plasma small extracellular vesicles identifies potential diagnostic biomarkers for Parkinson's disease dementia}},
journal = {Parkinsonism \& Related Disorders},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108150},
pmid = {41385896},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108150}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Related studies in Getting a diagnosis
Also tagged “bodies”
1,017 studies in the library carry the topic tag “bodies”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,017 tagged studies.