Researchers Identify New Genetic Cause of Inherited Parkinson’s Disease

A large team of international researchers have identified a new genetic cause of inherited Parkinson’s disease that they say may be related to the inability of brain cells to handle biological stress. The study, published in the September issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics, continues to fill in the picture of Parkinson’s disease as a complex disorder influenced by multiple genes, say neuroscientists at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Florida who helped lead the investigation.

Though only a small number of families have been identified with this form of Parkinson’s disease to date, the scientists say the study offers a direct insight into how the gene, EIF4G1, can lead to death of brain cells, resulting in Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. To read more about this story, click here.