Breakthrough study finds genetic link to Parkinson's and ADHD
A major scientific study has found a surprising link between the genes that control brain size and the risk of brain-related conditions.
A Queensland Institute of Medical Research Associate Professor Miguel Renteria led an international team of experts who scanned DNA data and MRI scans from 76,000 participants.
“Genetic variants associated with larger brain volumes in key brain regions also increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, while variants linked to smaller brain volumes in key regions are associated with an increased risk of ADHD,” Renteria said.
“It brings us closer to answering key questions about how genetics influence brain structure, and how we can potentially treat these conditions in future.”
Parkinson’s Australia CEO Olivia Nassaris has celebrated the results of the study, saying the surprising results open the door to future treatment options for Parkinson’s, which currently has no cure or cause.
“The more answers we have the closer we are to understanding this condition,” she said.
Michael Wiseman, who has been living with Parkinson’s for eight years, said he is pleased more research is being done about the neurodegenerative condition.
“I know it’s not going to benefit me in any way, as far as a cure or anything … I just hope they keep going, kicking some goals and finding results because it’s an insidious sort of thing, it’s a passenger I’ll have until I go to the grave.”
Image credits: Shutterstock