CATECHOL-O-METHYLTRANSFERASE GENOTYPE AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PARKINSONS-DISEASE IN JAPAN - SHORT COMMUNICATION

We report -108Met/Val polymorphism of the COMT gene in Japanese patien ts with Parkinson's disease (PD). The allele frequency for -108Val was higher in PD patients compared with controls, although the difference s did not reach the statistical significance. However, the frequency o f -108Val homozygotes was significantly higher in PD patients (56.8%) than in control subjects (44.2%), and heterozygotes of -108Met/Val wer e less in PD. COMT gene polymorphism may constitute a genetic risk fac tor for PD among Japanese.