THE CYP2D6B ALLELE IS NOT OVERREPRESENTED IN A POPULATION OF GERMAN PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC PARKINSONS-DISEASE

The frequency of the CYP2D6B allele of the gene for debrisoquine 4-hyd roxylase was studied in 115 patients with sporadic idiopathic Parkinso n's disease, 55 of their healthy siblings, 63 patients with familial P arkinson's disease, 55 unaffected relatives, and 92 patients with Alzh eimer's disease and 73 age matched healthy controls. By contrast with several previous studies, no significant variation of allele frequenci es could be found between any of the groups studied. The results argue against a significant role of the CYP2D6 gene in the aetiology of spo radic and familial idiopathic parkinsonism in this patient population.