Red hair, MC1R variants, and risk for Parkinson's disease - a meta-analysis

Several studies have been conducted with mixed results since our initial report of increased Parkinson's disease risk in individuals with red hair and/or red hair-associated p.R151C variant of the MC1R gene, both of which confer high melanoma risk. We performed a meta-analysis of six publications on red hair, MC1R, and Parkinson's disease. We found that red hair (pooled odds ratios = 1.68, 95% confidence intervals: 1.07, 2.64) and p.R151C (pooled odds ratios = 1.10, 95% confidence intervals: 1.00, 1.21), but not p.R160W, were associated with greater risk for Parkinson's disease. Our results support potential roles of pigmentation and its key regulator MC1R in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.