A Parkinson’s Link

In a GWAS meta-analysis, members of the International Parkinson Disease Genomics Consortium identify five new genes associated with risk of the disease that add to the growing pile of evidence that Parkinson's has genetic roots, reports the Associated Press’ Maria Cheng. This newest discovery has inspired optimism about potential new treatments among experts and prompted some to predict that a diagnostic test could be available within a few years, Cheng adds. In analyzing data obtained from 12,000 individuals with Parkinson’s and more than 21,000 healthy controls, the team found 11 significant risk-associated loci, including the five novel genes. The team's study appears online today in The Lancet.