Does anyone know if PD is hereditary? My dad has it and I was wondering what really caused it and is it passed down? Thanks
Hereditary?: Does anyone know if PD is... - Cure Parkinson's
Hereditary?
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Kristy66
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No straight answer I'm afraid.
Have a look at <parkinsons.org.uk> for info.
Although it is caused by a mutated gene, it is my understanding that is is not really hereditary although you may have a 1-3 % of developing PD. I asked this question of my husbands Movement Disorder Specialist because I was concerned for my children.
I know of no one in my entire family that has PD. I have 4 brothers and one sister.
It is my understanding that 3-5% of the cases of PD are genetic. Most are idiopathic, i.e. of unknown origin.
Hi Kristy. As far as I know, only about 10% of cases are hereditary. We don't know the cause of Pd but I feel sure that stress often triggers it, but does not cause it.
We are already 70% down the track when we are diagnosed so we have had it for a long time before the doctors are able to diagnose it. You will find that you have had several Pd symptoms by the time you have been diagnosed.
If you want to learn a whole lot more about Pd then go to my website - reverseparkinsons.net, where I have placed over 400 articles, including a list of my 37 symptoms. and all the details about the only thing you can do that has been proven to slow down and even reverse the symptoms of Pd.
Read about GDNF, the body's own repair kit and about fast walking, which produces this repair kit.
If you don't fancy doing any exercise, which is what you need to do to reverse your Pd, then don't even bother to go to my website.
Good luck
John
Thank you!
Thank you!
This was the first thing my son asked when I told him I had it (he's in his early 20's so a little selfishness can be forgiven!). Both the neurologists I saw felt that it was hereditary in only a minority of cases. It isn't anywhere I know of in my family. One of them made an interesting point, which is that PD is not uncommon and if you look, you will find it somewhere along the line in most families. And of course, when I disclose this condition occasionally to friends, they always have an aunt Bertha or an uncle Fred with it!
I asked the consultant at our first visit , John brother also had it he was seven years older , looking back I can see his mother had the signs also and was always not feeling well . She had no sense of smell either , became depressed as she hit older and didn't want to go out .
The consultant said it was always thought not , but people are living longer these days and it it looking as if it might be .
The correlation is very low (about 17%). I was in a heredity study with MJF Foundation where I discovered that I didn't have the Parka Gene so my children didn't get it. What is significant is a family history of Essential Trempr-my mother, uncle & grandmother.
You would never get any straight answer from your own doctor who would not wish to cause any further stress on their patients who are concerned by genetic aspects but a lot is found already though we may not get the exact answer why someone /or you developed PD when someone else in the same family, did not. Any questions relating to genetic risks would be something they carefully avoid engaging in due to a number of issues which may affect patients and the unknown areas which are yet to be clarified and explored. You can run your own research, however. Soon, you will be hit by so many articles of PD risk genes which are well established. These genes may not translate into the actual PD as epigenetics are the huge part of a player interacting with your PD risk genes. Has anyone else been offered a genetic test for PD either in research or clinical settings? I should think this is an area attracting intense focus (as in many other diseases for research and potential clinical application in the future). I agree that if you have PD, that doesn't mean your children would be as people in the same family tend to have different types of genetic defects (if any) or certain risk genes (as movinggrooving mentioned) either occurred spontaneously or shared / passed on within the family. I do not know the exact rate of these occurrences e.g. spontaneous mutations / heritable case. But I often find that all neurological conditions, be it MS (it's not a single disease), Alzheimer's (amyloid plaque), or PD (?), they have the similar disease process going on with varying labels / different pathologies in different areas of the brain affected.
I also agree that people who eventually got the diagnosis of any neurological conditions (esp PD / Alzheimer's etc), these people seem to have shown their early signs and symptoms decades before (for 20/30 years) they were diagnosed. That is probably when genetic studies might help in their assessment, if not after you have developed the full-fledged disease 20-30 years on when the signs and symptoms became too obvious to miss for anybody including their family members and clinicians alike.
I have read that about 10 percent of PD is generic. Since I don't know of anyone in my family that has had it, I am hoping mine is not genetic to minimize the chance that my kid will get PD. I should find out for sure if I have any genetic markers when I do the 23andme test.
My mom had PD, and I can't count the number of times doctors have told me with the utmost sincerity, "Parkinson's is not hereditary." They don't say that anymore!
Journalist Dave Iverson has produced a great documentary called "My Father, My Brother and Me" on the subject, run by PBS on its show, "Frontline."
It's my understanding that cases of PD attributable to heredity make up a small minority of the whole, and that exposure to toxics make up a larger percentage.
My dear kristy , I am the third generation with this desease. My grandfather, My Mother and now me
Kristy66 in reply to
So sorry, thank you 😞
I did genealogy for years and I am the first in my family ( I researched back to the 1400's in my family). No mention of it in the bibles or any living relative .
My father worked in a chemical factory and I shook his clothes out when he returned from work, I pretended it was snow and tried catching it in my mouth. He made DDt. Lindane, Agent orange and etc.herbicides, pesticides ad fertilizers. I believe this is how I received it. My father died of lung cancer at age 64.
So no you don't have to have a relative to have it.
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Per Michael J. Fox site:
Increased understanding of Parkinson’s disease genetics has energized drug development over the past 15 years and continues to form the basis for new treatments. Though few people get Parkinson’s directly from a genetic mutation, what researchers learn from the biology of people with these mutations could lead to new therapies that could help all those with the disease. Individuals with certain genetic mutations — with and without Parkinson’s disease — can help speed discovery and be part of the genetics revolution under way in Parkinson’s research. There is always many links to possibly having it, but no definite answerHow do genes play a role in Parkinson's?
For years, scientists thought there was no genetic basis for Parkinson’s. Then, in 1997, researchers at the National Institutes of Health discovered that mutations in a gene called SNCA (which encodes alpha-synuclein) were common in several families with a high prevalence of Parkinson’s. Since then they have identified a handful of other genes that are associated with Parkinson’s.
However, only about 10 percent of Parkinson’s cases have been linked to a genetic
cause. Most cases of Parkinson’s are called idiopathic or sporadic, meaning the cause is
unknown, and researchers believe onset is due to a combination of genetic and
environmental factors.
Another gene that plays a role in some people’s Parkinson’s is LRRK2. In 2004, scientists discovered a mutation in the LRRK2 gene that caused parkinsonism in several families in North America and Europe. LRRK2 has emerged as the most common, known genetic contributor to Parkinson’s, accounting for one to two percent of all cases. For people of particular ethnic backgrounds — Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish, North African Arab Berber and Basque — mutations in the LRRK2 gene account for a much greater number of Parkinson’s disease cases than in the general populations. Researchers don’t know why this is yet, but they are trying to find out.
If I have a Parkinson's mutation, will I get the disease?
In short: not necessarily. We know that some people have mutations in the SNCA or the LRRK2 gene and never develop Parkinson’s symptoms.
PODCAST:Six New Genetic Risk Factors
for Parkinson's Identified
In addition, there are Parkinson’s risk genes where a mutation means an increased likelihood of Parkinson’s (not a direct causal link). Researchers are looking for other factors (environmental factors or other genetic mutations, for example) that either push or protect someone with a gene mutation to/from having Parkinson’s.
How does genetics study advance research?
Genes are like recipes that make proteins. The SNCA gene instructs the body to make the protein alpha-synuclein , which for reasons that are not yet known clumps in certain brain cells of all Parkinson’s patients. Study of the SNCA gene led to this understanding that applies to all people with the disease, and, since then, alpha-synuclein has been a major target of new drugs for Parkinson’s. Research into Parkinson’s genetics can unveil proteins and cellular pathways involved in the disease, which most likely play a part in idiopathic Parkinson’s, too.
When researchers identify a Parkinson’s gene, a strategy begins to learn as much as possible about the gene, the protein it makes and the pathways it works in. Scientists make research tools to investigate the gene. They look for biomarkers to measure its activity. They recruit people with the mutation to learn more about its biology and clinical appearance. All these steps lead them toward discovery of a drug target and testing of a new therapy.
Should I be genetically tested?
There is a critical role for Parkinson’s patients and their loved ones to play in the pursuit of a cure by being genetically tested and participating in clinical research. As a research organization working to speed a cure, The Michael J. Fox Foundation would like to see people with Parkinson’s genotyped to build our base of information about PD genetics.
That said, the decision to find out one’s genetic makeup and disease risk is a personal one, and it is important to discuss with your family and health care provider. Also consult with a qualified genetic counselor both before and after receiving your results to understand all of the issues involved.
For now, learning your Parkinson’s genetic status does not change your personal prevention or treatment regimen. But by coming together, people with certain mutations can help speed discovery and make a significant contribution to Parkinson’s drug development.
Finally, remember that having a genetic mutation associated with Parkinson’s does not mean you will get the disease
My grandma had it when she was in her sixties, my mum was diagnosed in her fifties, and I have lots of symptoms now in my early forties. But I know this is quite an unusual situation.
Oh wow, I am sorry to hear this.
My neurologist told me an antipsychotic called Solian (amulsipride) I was taking for 6 years "mucked up my brain chemistry" and caused the condition.
I certainly hope not, but I have concerns. I've recently written a blog article on completing a DNA sample/test. Please take a look at my blog parkinsons.me/blog. I'm waiting for the results and will update you via Twitter when my results are back. You might want to follow me at parkinsons_me
As a father I'm VERY concerned so I've asked my parents and wife to take the same test in an effort to provide my daughters with as much information as I can if they need it in the future. Obviously I won't be sharing that information publicly but I will do whatever it takes for my girls.
I guess that's a long answer for I don't know😀
Speak soon,
Ewan
Thank you for such insightful posts 
Based on what I gather from what was already mentioned as above (extremely useful, thank you so much!), PD seems to be yet another immune-mediated disease just like other neurological conditions. In terms of AD and MS, the role of viruses is sometimes mentioned. With AD, there has been a confirmed research result indicating the link with herpes simplex virus. I do believe genetics got a bigger role to play than what is currently believed. When I had taken 23andme, it did list quite a few conditions which I already developed in my life. It showed risk genes for PD along with other diseases which were familiar to me. UK government did suggest that genetic test would revolutionalise the way people receive medical care and it may also help towards an early "accurate" diagnosis. I think that's the trend and given the limitation of current medicine and diagnostic tests which may not be so reliable until your condition has gone much worse, it's not such a bad idea.
I remember when i was first diagnosed 15 years ago at age 28, everyone said that PD was not hereditary and now they are changing their minds that perhaps a small percentage is. No one else in my family history had PD but my Mother died from A.L.S. Later I met a young man close to my age, that also had PD, happened to mention that his Uncle had A.L.S. I found this to be interesting and have later learned that many people have someone in their family history with A.L.S. Does anyone know of or have any further info on this topic? Thanks- DF
