GENETIC-VARIABILITY OF THE CYP 2D6 GENE IS NOT A RISK FACTOR FOR SPORADIC PARKINSONS-DISEASE

Genetic studies of the frequencies of mutant alleles for coding cytoch rome P-450 monooxygenase (CYP 2D6) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patient s have been inconsistent. We studied the mutants A and B in 80 strictl y defined sporadic PD patients divided into young age onset of the dis ease (<40 years, N = 20), mid age onset (40-50 years, N = 12), and old er age onset (>50 years, N = 48). They were compared with 108 controls from the same geographic area. There were no significant differences in allele or genotype frequencies between PD patients and controls. Fu ture genetic studies in PD should focus on other alleles or other area s of the genome.