Early Neurological Disorder Detection | 10 Jul 2024

According to the sources, the researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Varanasi have developed a groundbreaking 'lab-on-chip' device that can detect early-stage diseases with remarkable accuracy.

This innovative breakthrough holds the potential to transform healthcare by enabling faster and more reliable identification of neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease, depression, and Schizophrenia.
The innovation by the scientists at the Nanomaterials for Electronics and Energy Devices (NEED) lab at IIT-BHU has the potential to revolutionize the comprehension of brain function and pave the way for new treatments for neurological disorders at a very early stage.
The newly developed device incorporating metallic nanoparticle decorated atomically-thin, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor leverages advanced Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) technology.
- This allows for the detection of minute concentrations of neurotransmitters like dopamine with unparalleled precision and speed.
The implications of such innovation are profound, where developing novel materials and transforming them into a device could potentially support the various national missions of device manufacturing, as proposed by the Government of India.

SERS is a commonly used sensing technique in which inelastic light scattering by molecules is greatly enhanced when the molecules are adsorbed onto corrugated metal surfaces such as silver or gold nanoparticles (NPs).
It enhances the Raman scattering light from molecules, thus leading to effective analysis of the molecules.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that impairs movement and can lead to immobility and dementia over time.
The disease usually occurs in older people, but younger people can also be affected. Men are affected more often than women.
The prevalence of Parkinson has doubled in the past 25 years. India shares around 10% of the global burden of Parkinson's disease.

It is a severe mental disorder, characterized by profound disruptions in thinking, affecting language, perception, and the sense of self. It affects more than 21 million people worldwide.
Researchers believe that genetic as well as environmental factors such as exposure to viruses contribute to causation, and also life stressors may play a role in the disorder’s onset and course.