Skip Over Navigation Links

NIH Radio

Researchers Identify Gene Mutations Underlying Risk for Most Common Form of Parkinson's Disease – 1

Narrator: This is NIH Health Matters. Researchers have found that two genes containing mutations known to cause rare familial forms of Parkinson’s disease are also associated with the more common form of the disease where there is no family history.

Dr. Singleton: They’re present in 20 or 30 percent of the population.

Narrator: Dr. Andrew Singleton is with the National Institute on Aging

Dr. Singleton: These common variants increase our risk.

Narrator: Dr. Singleton emphasizes that these genetic mutations don’t cause Parkinson’s disease. The likelihood of developing the disorder increases with age and involves a combination of environmental risk factors and genetic susceptibility. For more information on this research, and Parkinson’s disease risk, visit www.nia.nih.gov. Health Matters is produced by the National Institutes of Health, part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Search Tips

Contact Us

Send questions or comments to:
Joe Balintfy
NIH News Media Branch
NIHRadio@mail.nih.gov
301-435-7557

About NIH Radio

NIH Radio offers free audio news programs from the National Institutes of Health, your reliable source for health information.

All NIH Radio content is in the public domain and can be used without charge or restriction provided that it is not used to misrepresent our agency nor used to suggest we endorse any private organization, product, or service.

NIH Radio is a service of the Office of Communications & Public Liaison.

This page last reviewed on March 25, 2011

Social Media Links