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Parkinson's Risk Factors Vary Among Ethnic Groups ST. PAUL, MN -- January 22, 1998 -- Ethnic and cultural origin appear to play a key role in who will develop Parkinson's disease and why, according to a study published in this month's issue of Neurology. The study looked at the environmental risk factors for PD among a multi-ethnic urban community that included whites, African-Americans and Hispanics. Among the findings was that African-Americans who had lived in rural areas (farms in the area) and drank well water for the longest period of their lives had an increased risk for PD, while Hispanics who had lived in rural areas had an decreased risk of PD. Gardening resulted in an increased PD risk in whites and Hispanics, but not African-Americans. "Both genetic and environmental risk factors have been implicated in the etiology of Parkinson's disease," explained study co-author Karen Marder, MD, MPH, a neurologist at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Sergievsky Center, New York, N.Y. "It is possible that different ethnic groups have genetic factors that make them more or less vulnerable to environmental factors." In earlier research, PD has been associated with rural living, exposure to pesticides and herbicides and well water in highly-industrialised countries like the United States. The study found these same risk factors were also associated with PD in African-Americans. In developing countries, urban rather than rural living may be a risk factor as seen in the Hispanic patients. <snip> "This is the first study to examine environmental risk factors in a multi-ethnic community," Marder said. "In future studies, analysis should include classification by ethnic group to see whether the same risk factors have different effects." Judith Richards [log in to unmask]