Studies reveal subtle ethnic differences in inherited Parkinson's

25 November 2009

Two of the largest ever genetic studies, published last week in the journal Nature Genetics, have unearthed subtle ethnic differences in the genetic basis of Parkinson's.

The first study compared the DNA of people with and without Parkinson's in a Japanese population.

The second study, in the United States, focused on people of European heritage.

Changes in 3 key genes increased the risk of developing Parkinson's in both Japanese and European populations. But the researchers also identified genes that are exclusive to each group.

What the researchers did

Researchers at Japan's Kobe University analysed the genes of 2,011 people with Parkinson's and 18,381 others without the condition.

They found that people with Parkinson's had changes in 4 genes: 2 new genes PARK16 and BST1, and 2 previously identified genes SNCA and LRRK2.

Researchers at the National Institute of Health in the United States compared the genes of 1,713 people with Parkinson's, to 3,361 without the condition. The most common risk genes for Parkinson's were SNCA and MAPT in people of European ancestry.

When the teams compared their data they found that both populations share mutations in PARK16, SNCA and LRRK2. But changes in the BST1 gene were only found in the ethnic Japanese population, and MAPT mutations were exclusive to Europeans.

What this means

Dr Kieran Breen, our Director of Research and Development, said:

"This fascinating research shows that there are some ethnic differences in the genetics of Parkinson's.

"It's fantastic to see international collaboration between research teams leading to new insights into genetics.

"Understanding the role of inherited genes in Parkinson's will help us to develop treatments that may delay, or even prevent, the development of the condition."