Researchers identify gene mutation as major cause of Parkinson's in Ashkenazi Jewis...( i Jewish Parkinson's patients compared ...)

The mutation's role was even more dramatic when the 120 Parkinson's disease patients were divided into those (37) with a family history of the disease (defined as having at least one affected first, second, or third degree relative) and those (83) with no family history. The G2019S mutation was found in 29.7 percent (11/37) of the familial Parkinson's cases but also in 13.3 percent (11/83) of so-called sporadic or nonfamilial cases. The frequency of this mutation among Ashkenazi Parkinson's patients was 15 to 20 times higher than has been reported among patients of European ancestry in general.

In addition to Ashkenazi Jews, the researchers note that a group of North Africans of Arab descent have been found to have a high frequency of this same gene mutation as a cause of Parkinson's disease. The two groups appear to share the same origin or founder, suggesting a probable Middle Eastern origin for this mutation.

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Contact: Karen Gardner
kgardner@aecom.yu.edu
718-430-3101
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
25-Jan-2006