Research shows genetic variants are more common in people with Parkinson’s disease than previously thought

Medical Xpress July 29, 2024
Parkinson's Foundation

Investigators in the Parkinson’s Foundation-backed PD GENEration study—which reached its goal of 15,000 participants ahead of schedule this spring—found that 13% of participants have a genetic form of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is a significant observation compared to long-standing estimates. Results from the first 3.5 years of the study, which examined a broad North American cohort, were published in the peer-reviewed journal Brain.

PD GENEration, which tests for clinically-relevant Parkinson’s-related genes, has been offered by the Parkinson’s Foundation since 2019 to any person with a confirmed PD diagnosis. The study is the first of its kind to return results at scale via live genetic counseling in English or Spanish.

This enables participants and physicians to make more informed decisions about...

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