Gene Analysis of Parkinson's Disease

The purposes of this study are to identify the gene or genes responsible for an inherited form of Parkinson's disease and learn more about how the disease develops.

In Parkinson's disease, a deficiency of a brain chemical called dopamine impairs the function of the part of the brain that controls movement. As a result, patients may have difficulty moving or they may have uncontrolled movements of their hands and fingers. Parkinson's disease usually occurs sporadically, with no known cause. In a few families, however, the disease seems to be inherited through a gene mutation (change). There is a 50-50 chance that a parent with the mutated gene will pass it on to a child. Children who do inherit the abnormal gene may or may not go on to actually develop Parkinson's disease-the relative chance of this happening is not known.

Individuals 18 years of age and older from families in which Parkinson's disease appears to be inherited may be eligible for this study. Participants will have their medical records reviewed, provide a personal and family medical history (by telephone or in person), and have a small blood sample (2 tablespoons) taken for genetic studies. The total time required for the study is about 1 to 2 hours.

Participants are encouraged to meet with a NIH investigator or with a genetics specialist in their local area before testing to talk about the possible implications for themselves and their families of the test results....

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Key information

Conditions

Parkinson's Disease Basal Ganglia Diseases Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Movement Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurodegenerative Diseases Parkinson Disease Parkinsonian Disorders Synucleinopathies

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

About this study

Mutational analysis in patients with Parkinson's disease and a positive family history will be undertaken in an effort to identify and better understand the function of defective genes that cause Parkinson's disease in these individuals. DNA from these individuals is an important resource for screening candidate genes for mutations, for confirming that genes identified by other approaches are altered in patients, and for defining the mutational spectrum in these genes (genotype/phenotype correlation).

Unrelated, anonymous normal individuals will serve as controls for sequence comparisons. Information about genotypes will not be communicated back to the individuals as part of this study. While mutational analysis will continue, no further participants will be recruited to this study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Individuals over the age of 18 from families in which there are three or more individuals affected with Parkinson's disease (within three generations) and the proband was the only affected person available or willing to participate in the study

The diagnosis must be supported by accepted clinical criteria: tremor, bradykinesia, and responsiveness to L-DOPA.

PD may be associated with dementia. The study will lose power if individuals with mental impairment and PD are excluded. For this reason, decisionally-impaired individuals will be enrolled.

Exclusion criteria

No one under 18 will be enrolled because, with the exception of the rare autosomal recessive PD due to parkin mutations, PD does not affect minors. Study design does not involve testing fetuses.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Nih

Registry information

Official study title

Gene Analysis in Parkinson's Disease

Important dates

Study start: 1997
Primary completion: 2009
First posted: Nov 4, 1999
Registry last updated: Jul 2, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

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