This recently-published abstract is on some German research into whether the LRRK2 genetic mutation occurs in PSP. This may be of most interest to those who participated in the 23andMe.com genetics testing.
I learned two things from the abstract:
* LRRK2 mutations “have been shown to be the most common genetic cause of both familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease. Patients harboring LRRK2 mutations develop late onset PD that in most cases cannot be clinically distinguished from idiopathic PD.”
I thought LRRK2 was only associated with familial PD, and I thought familial PD was typically early-onset PD.
* “LRRK2 mutations have been reported to result in a broad spectrum of neuropathological alterations including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)-like Tau pathology.”
The weakness of this research is that the 88 PSP patients involved have a clinical diagnosis of PSP. The authors concluded that “there is no evidence that mutations in exon 31 of LRRK2 are a major risk factor for PSP. Our study, however, cannot rule out that other genetic variations in LRRK2 may be associated with PSP.”
Robin
European Journal of Neurology. 2009 Jun 15. [Epub ahead of print]
Screening for LRRK2 R1441 mutations in a cohort of PSP patients from Germany.
Madžar D, Schulte C, Gasser T.
Department of Neurodegenerative diseases, Hertie Institute for clinical brain research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Background and purpose: Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase gene (LRRK2) have been shown to be the most common genetic cause of both familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease. Patients harboring LRRK2 mutations develop late onset PD that in most cases cannot be clinically distinguished from idiopathic PD.
Furthermore, LRRK2 mutations have been reported to result in a broad spectrum of neuropathological alterations including progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)-like Tau pathology.
Methods: We screened a cohort of 88 clinically confirmed PSP patients for mutations in exon 31.
Results: We did not find any of the known mutations or any new variants.
Conclusions: Thus, there is no evidence that mutations in exon 31 of LRRK2 are a major risk factor for PSP. Our study, however, cannot rule out that other genetic variations in LRRK2 may be associated with PSP.
PubMed ID#: 19538213 (see pubmed.gov for this abstract only)