Six new genetic risk factors for Parkinson's identified using gene chip

A new study led by researchers from the National Institutes of Health details how a state-of-the-art gene chip led to the discovery of six new genetic risk factors for Parkinson's disease, potentially providing a better understanding of the disorder and paving the way for new treatment strategies.

NeuroX - an advanced gene chip - helped researchers identify six new genetic risk factors for Parkinson's.
Image credit: National Human Genome Research Institute

The research team, including senior study author Andrew Singleton, PhD, a scientist at the National Institute on Aging, recently published their findings in the journalNature Genetics.

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological disorder affecting more than 500,000 people in the US. Every year, approximately 50,000 more are diagnosed with the disorder, and these numbers are expected to increase along with the aging population.

The exact cause of Parkinson's disease is unclear. However, recent research has identified a number of genes believed to increase a person's susceptibility to the disorder.

In this latest study, Singleton and colleagues set out to add to these findings by conducting a large-scale meta-analysis of existing genome-wide association studies, involving 13,708 individuals with Parkinson's disease and 95,282 controls.

The team collaborated with numerous public and private organizations to gather the data, including the US Department of Defense and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.