Absence of previously reported variants in the SCNA (G88C and G209A), NR4A2 (T291D and T245G) and the DJ-1 (T497C) genes in familial Parkinson's disease from the GenePD study

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder in which relatives of the probands are affected approximately 4 times as frequently as relatives of control subjects. Several genes have been implicated as genetic risk factors for PD. We investigated the presence of six reported genetic variations in the SCNA, NR4A2, and DJ-1 genes in 292 cases of familial Parkinson's disease from the GenePD study. None of the variants were found in the GenePD families. Our results suggest that other variants or genes account for the familial risk of PD within the GenePD study. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society.