Genetic influence on the development of Parkinson's disease

In the last few years, the genetic contribution to Parkinson's disease has gained major attention and resulted in the identification of four gene loci in autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease. Several mutations in two genes have been shown to be responsible for neuronal cell death in Parkinsons's disease. One of the gene products involved,alpha-syn uclein, isa major component of Lewy bodies, the neuropathological feature o f Parkinson's disease. In contrast, mutations in the parkin gene are associ ated with parkinsonism without Lewy body pathology. The elucidation of poly genic changes in the dopamine pathway, mitochondrial dysfunction, and of xe nobiotic metabolism is technically now possible by means of association and genotype studies. The increasing knowledge of the pathogenesis of Parkinso n's disease at a molecular level will have important implications for the d evelopment of individual therapeutic strategies to prevent disease progress ion.