In Vivo UV-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Skin in Parkinson’s Disease

Characteristic patterns of UV-induced skin autofluorescence were determined for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and associated with dysmetabolic alterations, such as nonenzymatic protein glycation, an increase in extracellular matrix stiffness, impaired metabolism of tissue fluorophores, mitochondrial dysfunction, and accumulation of aberrant proteins. Key differences in skin autofluorescence spectra were for the first time observed in PD, making it possible to discriminate between PD patients and healthy persons or individuals without signs of chronic neurodegeneration. Namely, skin fluorescence related to the reflected signal upon excitation with UV light at 375 nm was lower in PD patients.