Parkinson's Disease Health Center

Currently, there are no specific blood or laboratory tests that have been proven to help in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. To diagnose Parkinson's, doctors use the patient's medical history and do a neurological exam. Because the disease is difficult to diagnosis, doctors and health care professionals may request brain scans or other laboratory tests in order to rule out other possible diseases, which could be causing similar symptoms.

Gene tests also may be used to hel diagnose Parkinson's disease, but the most obvious sign may be the onset of symptoms. 

Knowing your family's medical history can significantly help in the diagnosis of Parkinson's. While Parkinson's is not completely a genetic disease, genes may play a role.

If you know someone in your family has had Parkinson's, talk to your doctor about testing.