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Friends, I'm the PARKINSONIAN who published the PD-Diabetes link survey. You can find it in YOUNG AND RESTLESS, Sept. 1993,the newsletter of the APDA Young Parkinson's Support Group, Boston, Massachusetts. Contact me at 9 Range Rd, Portland, Maine for a copy, or Ken Bernstein, Y and R editor, Newton, Massachusetts. Much credit goes to Ken for publishing my survey results. I have now surveyed two more Parkinsonians in Maine. Both have a diabetic sibling, or parent/aunt/uncle. PD skipped a generation, and appears in the grandparent of one person. So, I now have 19 out of 23 PD'ers with a Diabetic close relative!! That is an astounding 83% rate of PD-Diabetes links! I think that WHEN( not IF) THE UDALL BILL PASSES, someone out there should do family studies of PD-DIabetes links, while someone else should develop a blood screening test for the gene(s) involved. Dr. Duvoisin at Rutgers , the new APDA medical chairperson, is interested in genetics. Hopefully, if enough of you start checking out the PD-Diabetes link, we will show the importance of getting RESEARCH FUNDS in this area. I think the gene (or genes) involved control(s) the dopamine pathway: tyrosine.....DOPA.....dopamine....noradrenalin....adrenalin(epinephrine). Genetic disruption of dopamine production or transport could cause PD, while disruption of the adrenalin(epinephrine) supply could cause a glucose intolerance or diabetes problem, since insulin is inhibited ( regulated)by epinephrine. I would imagine that instead of masking our symptoms with dopamine derived from Sinemet, what we really need is to figure out what enzyme(s) are genetically programmed to control the creation of dopamine in the substantia nigra cells, and synthesize a drug that will restore or mimic that enzyme. Then, we would be curing, not masking Parkinson's. Any of you out there agree? DIsagree? Please write!! Ivan Suzman ([log in to unmask]) 9 Range Road, Portland, Maine, FAX (207) 878-8950; tel (207) 797-8488 Office hours: 8:30am-6:00pm .