Identification of Risk Loci for Parkinson Disease in Asians and Comparison of Risk Between Asians and Europeans

Abstract

Parkinson disease (PD) (gene: OMIM 168600) is one of the most common age-related neurodegenerative diseases worldwide and has been a factor in more than 200 000 deaths and 3.2 million disability-adjusted life-years worldwide in 2016.^1,2 Parkinson disease presents as a hypokinetic movement disorder characterized by bradykinesia, postural instability, rigidity, and resting tremors resulting from loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and other nondopaminergic structures. Several genes containing rare pathogenic variants have been identified in familial PD, suggesting that, although genetic factors play a role in PD pathogenesis, the disease is heterogeneous and associated with multiple genes and pathways.