Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Joy Milne was tested by researchers to see if she could detect people with Parkinson's through a tell-tale odour 
 
 Meet the woman from Perth whose super sense of smell could change the way Parkinson's disease is diagnosed. 
 
 Joy Milne's husband, Les, died in June, aged 65. 
 
 He worked as a consultant anaesthetist before being diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 45. 
 
 Image caption Joy first detected the odour on her husband Les, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 45 
 
 One in 500 people in the UK has Parkinson's - that is 127,000 across Britain. 
 
 It can leave people struggling to walk, speak and sleep. There is no cure and no definitive diagnostic test. 
 
 Joy noticed something had changed with her husband long before he was diagnosed - six years before. 
 
 She says: "His smell changed and it seemed difficult to describe. It wasn't all of a sudden. It was very subtle - a musky smell. 
 
 "I got an occasional smell." 
 
 Joy only linked this odour to Parkinson's after joining the charity Parkinson's UK and meeting people with the same distinct odour. 
 
 By complete chance she mentioned this to scientists at a talk. They were intrigued. 
 
 Edinburgh University decided to test her - and she was very accurate. 
 
 Image caption Doctors tested Joy's sense of smell by using t-shirts which had been worn by six people with Parkinson's and six without 
 
 Dr Tilo Kunath, a Parkinson's UK fellow at the school of biological sciences at Edinburgh University, was one of the first scientists Joy spoke to. 
 
 He says: "The first time we tested Joy we recruited six people with Parkinson's and six without. 
 
 "We had them wear a t-shirt for a day then retrieved the t-shirts, bagged them and coded them. 
 
 "Her job was to tell us who had Parkinson's and who didn't. 
 
 "Her accuracy was 11 out of 12. We were quite impressed." 
 
 Dr Kunath adds: "She got the six Parkinson's but then she was adamant one of the 'control' subjects had Parkinson's. 
 
 Image caption Dr Tilo Kunath was impressed with Joy's results and is undertaking further research into the phenomenon 
 
 "But he was in our control group so he didn't have Parkinson's. 
 
 "According to him and according to us as well he didn't have Parkinson's. 
 
 "But eight months later he informed me that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's. 
 
 "So Joy wasn't correct for 11 out of 12, she was actually 12 out of 12 correct at that time. 
 
 "That really impressed us and we had to dig further into this phenomenon." 
 
 And that is exactly what they are doing. 
 
 Scientists believe that changes in the skin of people with early Parkinson's produces a particular odour linked to the condition. 
 
 They hope to find the molecular signature responsible for the odour and then develop a simple test such as wiping a person's forehead with a swab. 
 
 The charity Parkinson's UK is now funding researchers at Manchester, Edinburgh and London to study about 200 people with and without Parkinson's. 
 
 Image caption Katherine Crawford, of Parkinson's UK, said it was an incredibly difficult disease to diagnose 
 
 A simple test for Parkinson's could be life-changing, according to Katherine Crawford, the Scotland director of Parkinson's UK. 
 
 "This study is potentially transformational for the lives of people living with Parkinson's," she says. 
 
 "Parkinson's is an incredibly difficult disease to diagnose. 
 
 "We still effectively diagnose it today the way that Dr James Parkinson diagnosed it in 1817, which is by observing people and their symptoms. 
 
 "A diagnostic test like this could cut through so much of that, enable people to go in and see a consultant, have a simple swab test and come out with a clear diagnosis of Parkinson's. 
 
 "It would be absolutely incredible and life-changing for them immediately." 
 
 Ms Crawford adds: "They and their professional colleagues would be able to discuss and arrange a treatment programme, be able to monitor the progression of the disease and treat it appropriately as it went on and it would potentially offer more opportunities for people living with Parkinson's to get involved in research." 
 
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 The widow of a man who suffered with Parkinson’s has triggered new research this week into the condition after she discovered she could “smell” the disease. 
 
 Joy Milne, 65, told researchers that she had noticed a change in the odor of her late husband, Les, years before he developed symptoms of Parkinson’s. 
 
 He passed away from the disease, a nervous system disorder whose symptoms include shaking and slowness of movement, earlier this year at the age of 65. 
 
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 “I’ve always had a keen sense of smell and I detected very early on that there was a very subtle change in how Les smelled,” Milne, from Perth, Scotland, said on Thursday. 
 
 “It’s hard to describe but it was a heavy, slightly musky aroma. I had no idea that this was unusual and hadn’t been recognized before.” 
 
 About one in 500 people suffers from Parkinson’s, a degenerative illness that is difficult to diagnose and for which there is no cure. 
 
 She went on to tell researchers, who dubbed her “super-smeller” after finding that she could identify Parkinson’s sufferers from T-shirts they had slept in. 
 
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 Milne made the connection between the smell and the disease after picking up the same scent from other sufferers. 
 
 That prompted research charity Parkinson’s UK to this week launch a project to find whether the disease and odor are linked. 
 
 “It’s very early days in the research, but if it’s proved there is a unique odour associated with Parkinson’s, particularly early on in the condition, it could have a huge impact,” said Arthur Roach, director of research at the charity. 
 
 “Not just on early diagnosis, but it would also make it a lot easier to identify people to test drugs that may have the potential to slow, or even stop Parkinson’s, something no current drug can achieve.” 
 
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 Researchers are investigating whether the condition triggers changes in sebum, an oily substance secreted by skin, and aim to recruit 200 people with and without the condition for the study. 
 
 Swabs taken from them will be analyzed by machine at the molecular level, and will also be scrutinized by Milne and a team of smell experts from the food and drink industry. ||||| Overview 
 
 Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. 
 
 In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no expression. Your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson's disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time. 
 
 Although Parkinson's disease can't be cured, medications might significantly improve your symptoms. Occasionally, your doctor may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of your brain and improve your symptoms. 
 
 Symptoms 
 
 Parkinson's disease signs and symptoms can be different for everyone. Early signs may be mild and go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of your body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms begin to affect both sides. 
 
 Parkinson's signs and symptoms may include: 
 
 Tremor. A tremor, or shaking, usually begins in a limb, often your hand or fingers. You may a rub your thumb and forefinger back-and-forth, known as a pill-rolling tremor. Your hand may tremor when it's at rest. 
 
 A tremor, or shaking, usually begins in a limb, often your hand or fingers. You may a rub your thumb and forefinger back-and-forth, known as a pill-rolling tremor. Your hand may tremor when it's at rest. Slowed movement (bradykinesia). Over time, Parkinson's disease may slow your movement, making simple tasks difficult and time-consuming. Your steps may become shorter when you walk. It may be difficult to get out of a chair. You may drag your feet as you try to walk. 
 
 Over time, Parkinson's disease may slow your movement, making simple tasks difficult and time-consuming. Your steps may become shorter when you walk. It may be difficult to get out of a chair. You may drag your feet as you try to walk. Rigid muscles. Muscle stiffness may occur in any part of your body. The stiff muscles can be painful and limit your range of motion. 
 
 Muscle stiffness may occur in any part of your body. The stiff muscles can be painful and limit your range of motion. Impaired posture and balance. Your posture may become stooped, or you may have balance problems as a result of Parkinson's disease. 
 
 Your posture may become stooped, or you may have balance problems as a result of Parkinson's disease. Loss of automatic movements. You may have a decreased ability to perform unconscious movements, including blinking, smiling or swinging your arms when you walk. 
 
 You may have a decreased ability to perform unconscious movements, including blinking, smiling or swinging your arms when you walk. Speech changes. You may speak softly, quickly, slur or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more of a monotone rather than with the usual inflections. 
 
 You may speak softly, quickly, slur or hesitate before talking. Your speech may be more of a monotone rather than with the usual inflections. Writing changes. It may become hard to write, and your writing may appear small. 
 
 When to see a doctor 
 
 See your doctor if you have any of the symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease — not only to diagnose your condition but also to rule out other causes for your symptoms. 
 
 Causes 
 
 In Parkinson's disease, certain nerve cells (neurons) in the brain gradually break down or die. Many of the symptoms are due to a loss of neurons that produce a chemical messenger in your brain called dopamine. When dopamine levels decrease, it causes abnormal brain activity, leading to symptoms of Parkinson's disease. 
 
 The cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but several factors appear to play a role, including: 
 
 Your genes. Researchers have identified specific genetic mutations that can cause Parkinson's disease. But these are uncommon except in rare cases with many family members affected by Parkinson's disease. However, certain gene variations appear to increase the risk of Parkinson's disease but with a relatively small risk of Parkinson's disease for each of these genetic markers. 
 
 Environmental triggers. Exposure to certain toxins or environmental factors may increase the risk of later Parkinson's disease, but the risk is relatively small. 
 
 Researchers have also noted that many changes occur in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease, although it's not clear why these changes occur. These changes include: 
 
 The presence of Lewy bodies. Clumps of specific substances within brain cells are microscopic markers of Parkinson's disease. These are called Lewy bodies, and researchers believe these Lewy bodies hold an important clue to the cause of Parkinson's disease. 
 
 Clumps of specific substances within brain cells are microscopic markers of Parkinson's disease. These are called Lewy bodies, and researchers believe these Lewy bodies hold an important clue to the cause of Parkinson's disease. Alpha-synuclein is found within Lewy bodies. Although many substances are found within Lewy bodies, scientists believe an important one is the natural and widespread protein called alpha-synuclein (a-synuclein). It's found in all Lewy bodies in a clumped form that cells can't break down. This is currently an important focus among Parkinson's disease researchers. 
 
 Risk factors 
 
 Risk factors for Parkinson's disease include: 
 
 Age. Young adults rarely experience Parkinson's disease. It ordinarily begins in middle or late life, and the risk increases with age. People usually develop the disease around age 60 or older. 
 
 Young adults rarely experience Parkinson's disease. It ordinarily begins in middle or late life, and the risk increases with age. People usually develop the disease around age 60 or older. Heredity. Having a close relative with Parkinson's disease increases the chances that you'll develop the disease. However, your risks are still small unless you have many relatives in your family with Parkinson's disease. 
 
 Having a close relative with Parkinson's disease increases the chances that you'll develop the disease. However, your risks are still small unless you have many relatives in your family with Parkinson's disease. Sex. Men are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than are women. 
 
 Men are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than are women. Exposure to toxins. Ongoing exposure to herbicides and pesticides may slightly increase your risk of Parkinson's disease. 
 
 Complications 
 
 Parkinson's disease is often accompanied by these additional problems, which may be treatable: 
 
 Thinking difficulties. You may experience cognitive problems (dementia) and thinking difficulties. These usually occur in the later stages of Parkinson's disease. Such cognitive problems aren't very responsive to medications. 
 
 You may experience cognitive problems (dementia) and thinking difficulties. These usually occur in the later stages of Parkinson's disease. Such cognitive problems aren't very responsive to medications. Depression and emotional changes. You may experience depression, sometimes in the very early stages. Receiving treatment for depression can make it easier to handle the other challenges of Parkinson's disease. You may also experience other emotional changes, such as fear, anxiety or loss of motivation. Doctors may give you medications to treat these symptoms. 
 
 Swallowing problems. You may develop difficulties with swallowing as your condition progresses. Saliva may accumulate in your mouth due to slowed swallowing, leading to drooling. 
 
 You may develop difficulties with swallowing as your condition progresses. Saliva may accumulate in your mouth due to slowed swallowing, leading to drooling. Chewing and eating problems. Late-stage Parkinson's disease affects the muscles in your mouth, making chewing difficult. This can lead to choking and poor nutrition. 
 
 Late-stage Parkinson's disease affects the muscles in your mouth, making chewing difficult. This can lead to choking and poor nutrition. Sleep problems and sleep disorders. People with Parkinson's disease often have sleep problems, including waking up frequently throughout the night, waking up early or falling asleep during the day. People may also experience rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, which involves acting out your dreams. Medications may help your sleep problems. 
 
 Bladder problems. Parkinson's disease may cause bladder problems, including being unable to control urine or having difficulty urinating. 
 
 Parkinson's disease may cause bladder problems, including being unable to control urine or having difficulty urinating. Constipation. Many people with Parkinson's disease develop constipation, mainly due to a slower digestive tract. 
 
 You may also experience: 
 
 Blood pressure changes. You may feel dizzy or lightheaded when you stand due to a sudden drop in blood pressure (orthostatic hypotension). 
 
 You may feel dizzy or lightheaded when you stand due to a sudden drop in blood pressure (orthostatic hypotension). Smell dysfunction. You may experience problems with your sense of smell. You may have difficulty identifying certain odors or the difference between odors. 
 
 You may experience problems with your sense of smell. You may have difficulty identifying certain odors or the difference between odors. Fatigue. Many people with Parkinson's disease lose energy and experience fatigue, especially later in the day. The cause isn't always known. 
 
 Many people with Parkinson's disease lose energy and experience fatigue, especially later in the day. The cause isn't always known. Pain. Some people with Parkinson's disease experience pain, either in specific areas of their bodies or throughout their bodies. 
 
 Some people with Parkinson's disease experience pain, either in specific areas of their bodies or throughout their bodies. Sexual dysfunction. Some people with Parkinson's disease notice a decrease in sexual desire or performance. 
 
 Prevention 
 
 Because the cause of Parkinson's is unknown, proven ways to prevent the disease also remain a mystery. 
 
 Some research has shown that regular aerobic exercise might reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease. 
 
 Some other research has shown that people who drink caffeine — which is found in coffee, tea and cola — get Parkinson's disease less often than those who don't drink it. However, it is still not known whether caffeine actually protects against getting Parkinson's, or is related in some other way. Currently there is not enough evidence to suggest drinking caffeinated beverages to protect against Parkinson's. Green tea is also related to a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
– Joy Milne noticed a small difference in her husband just before he turned 40. "His smell changed," the Scottish woman tells the BBC. "It wasn't all of a sudden. It was very subtle—a musky smell." He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease six years later and died in June at age 65. Milne found herself supporting the Parkinson's UK charity, where she noticed others had the same distinct smell. She happened to mention her observation to scientists at a talk, and they later put her to the test, presenting her with T-shirts worn by six people with Parkinson's and six without. "She got the six Parkinson's, but then she was adamant one of the 'control' subjects had Parkinson's," says a scientist. Researchers were impressed and dubbed her a "super-smeller," per AFP. Then eight months later, that one control subject returned to tell scientists he had just been diagnosed with Parkinson's. Because of Milne's sniffer, scientists now theorize that changes in the sebum—an oily substance produced by the skin—may occur in people with early Parkinson's. Now Parkinson's UK is funding a study that will see swabs taken from 200 people with and without Parkinson's and studied by a team of smell experts, including Milne. The swabs will also be studied chemically. A proven link between an odor and the disease could make for an easy and clear way to identify a disease that is "incredibly difficult ... to diagnose," as the Scotland director of Parkinson's UK puts it. "It would be absolutely incredible and life-changing." Currently, doctors diagnose the disease largely as they have for the last two centuries: by observing a patient and his or her symptoms. (The human nose really is amazing.)