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Parkinson’s Disease Genes Linked to Lipids

Parkinson’s Disease Genes Linked to Lipids

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There’s no shortage of genes associated with Parkinson’s disease. Known mutations in 6 genes can cause early onset or classical, late onset Parkinson’s disease, and mutations in at least 2 more can cause atypical parkinsonian syndromes.1 Additional genetic loci and identified genes increase the susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease. Although the identified genes are not all part of the same biological pathway, identifying commonalities among them may provide clues to the disease process.  One theme that emerges from these studies is…

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From Glucocerebrosidase to Autophagy and Mitophagy in Parkinson’s Disease

From Glucocerebrosidase to Autophagy and Mitophagy in Parkinson’s Disease

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Over the past two decades, researchers have documented numerous links between Parkinson’s disease and Gaucher disease. Rare patients with Gaucher disease show parkinsonian symptoms1 and many more have family members with Parkinson’s disease.2 Lewy bodies—large aggregates of alpha synuclein protein characteristic of Parkinson’s disease—have been identified in the brains of Gaucher patients,3 and approximately 5-10% of those with sporadic Parkinson’s disease show mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene, the cause of Gaucher disease.4,5