The time of diagnosis has a decisive influence on the treatment and chances of recovery from diseases. For example, numerous screening examinations are offered for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. For neurodegenerative diseases, on the other hand (e.g. Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease), no screening is currently offered.

Due to demographic developments, neurodegenerative diseases are increasing significantly. They are the major health economic challenges of our time. At the clinical manifestation of symptoms, the neurodegenerative process is already irreversibly advanced, whereby the actual disease manifestation is preceded by a long preliminary phase (prodromal phase) of the disease.

Currently, there are numerous drugs in clinical development that can be used to realise a curative therapy approach. However, the use of these neuroprotectants requires early disease detection before the affected brain areas are irreversibly damaged. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an efficient and inexpensive screening examination in the sense of a preventive examination for neurodegenerative diseases.

saniva diagnostics GmbH, which was founded as a spin-off of the University Hospital Jena and has applied for a European patent, is dealing with this problem. With a specific motor screening instrument, patients at risk are to be identified earlier and consequently benefit from a curative treatment approach.