title: Genes and parkinsonism.
abstract: Genetic studies in families with mendelian inheritance of Parkinson's disease (PD) have reported the cloning of several disease-associated genes. These studies of rare familial forms of the disease have cast doubt on our understanding of the role of genetics in typical PD and have complicated the classification of the disorder. However, this genetic information might help us to construct a hypothesis for the pathogenetic processes that underlie PD. In this review we describe the molecular genetics of PD as currently understood to help explain the pathways that underlie neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cookson
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singleton
mesh_terms: D020271:Heredodegenerative Disorders, Nervous System / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology