GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK-FACTORS FOR PARKINSONS-DISEASE IN A CHINESE POPULATION

An epidemiological study of the environmental and genetic factors as w ell as the possible interplay between them was conducted among 215 pat ients with Parkinson's disease and 313 controls in a Chinese populatio n in Hong Kong. In univariate analysis, a regular tea drinking habit w as found to be a protective factor, which had not been reported before . Smoking (a protective factor), family history, duration of pesticide exposure (in years) in farming and pesticide exposure during farming in women (both risk factors) have been reported previously. In multiva riate analysis, current smoking reached borderline significance at the 5% level and the variables, years exposed to pesticides and family hi story were significant at the 10% level. By contrast with the common o ccurrence of polymorphism of the CYP2D6 gene (a gene involved with xen obiotic metabolism) in white people, it is very rare in China and is n ot thought to be a significant factor contributing to Parkinson's dise ase in Chinese people.