Journal
SEMINARS IN NEUROLOGY
Volume 26, Issue 5, Pages 492-498Publisher
THIEME MEDICAL PUBL INC
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-951621
Keywords
Parkinson's disease; parkin; alpha-synuclein; neurodegenerative disorders; LRRK2
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Funding
- NINDS NIH HHS [NS 045180] Funding Source: Medline
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Parkinson's disease (PD) is a significant neurodegenerative disease of the elderly, affecting 1 to 2% of those over 60 years of age. The disorder is characterized by resting tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and pathologically by alpha-synuclein-positive Lewy bodies. For most, the etiology is unknown and it is likely due to a multifactorial interaction of genes and the environment. In a minority, a clear environmental, toxic, or genetic etiology is determined. Six genes have been identified to cause diseases often indistinguishable from sporadic PD. Although accounting for only 1 to 3% of PD, the identification of single genes that cause PD clearly indicate that PD can have solely genetic causes. In addition to single-gene mutations, large familial aggregation and twin studies demonstrate a modest genetic component in idiopathic PD.
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