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Excerpt from the December 1996 Parkinson's Action Network "Action Reporter", an Advocacy Report for the Parkinson's Community- 1996 Has Been Landmark Year in Parkinson's Research >From basic research into the cause to clinical trials of new therapies, this was a landmark year in the quest to understand-and conquer-Parkinson's disease. GENETICS - This month, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the findings of a study identifying the general location of a gene they believe is responsible for some cases of Parkinson's. As reported in the Nov. 15th issue of the Journal "Science" a team lead by Dr. Mihael Polymeropoulos of the National Center for Human Genome Research said it had tracked down the site of the Parkinson's gene by examining DNA material from 28 members of a large Italian family with a long history of the disease. By comparing DNA variations in 9 family members who had Parkinson's with DNA from the others, the scientists were able to find the chromosome area where the suspect gene is located. (Researchers point to the area of 'Chromosome 4' as the site of a Parkinson's gene.) Scientists now need to isolate the exact site of the gene and determine what protein or product the gene makes in order to understand its relationship to Parkinson's. This discovery should help in finding other genetic factors contributing to the disease, and eventually help in developing diagnostic tests and treatments. While clearly this is a positive step towards finding a cure, the NIH noted that the discovery is one of many further steps that will be necessary. "What patients should not take from this is that we have found a new form of diagnosis for Parkinson's a new form of therapy, or a new form of prevention," said NIH Director Harold Varmus. Other Parkinson's researchers have also commented on the study. "The determination that a gene located on chromosome 4 causes at least one form of Parkinson's disease provides another piece of evidence that genetics plays an important role in the development of the disorder. Patients should be aware that the gene causing Parkinson's disease in this family may or may not be important in the development of Parkinson's disease in the general population," noted Eric Siemers, M.D., of the Indiana University School of Medicine. "However, even if this specific gene causes Parkinson's in only a small minority of patients, by understanding how the gene works, we will gain important clues regarding the cause of Parkinson's disease in the population at large." If you have any questions or comments regarding the scientific research described here, please contact PAN at (800) 850-4726 Parkinson's Action Network 800-850-4726 Headquarters: 818 College Ave., Suite C Santa Rosa, CA 95404 phone 707-544-1994 fax 707-544-2363 email: [log in to unmask] Washington, DC office 601 13th St. NW., Suite 310 Washington, DC 20005 phone 202-628-2079 fax 202-628-2077 Brad Udall, Chair Joan I. Samuelson, President John L. Dodge, Treasurer Bonnie K. Mioduchoski, Administrator Michael Claeys, Community Coordinator The Action Reporter is a free publication of the Parkinson's Action Network, a non-profit charitable foundation for a cure for Parkinson's. Use of this material in other publications is welcomed. We ask that the Network be identified as the source of the material, and notified how, when and where the material is used. Simply call 800-850-4726