title: Cross-sectional study discloses a positive family history for Parkinson's disease and male gender as epidemiological risk factors for substantia nigra hyperechogenicity.
abstract: Hyperechogenicity of the substantia nigra (SN) has been proposed to be a typical finding in Parkinson's disease (PD) and a marker of vulnerability to nigrostriatal dysfunction in healthy subjects. This large cross-sectional study including 1120 subjects older than 50 years without any signs of PD was performed to evaluate the association of SN hyperechogenicity and other proposed epidemiological risk factors for PD. Among all variables assessed only family history of PD and male gender proved to be significantly associated with SN hyperechogenicity, indicating a genetic predisposition for the ultrasound marker.
authors: Center of Neurology, Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute of Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: K J
authors: KJ
authors: Schweitzer
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Behnke
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Liepelt
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Wolf
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Grosser
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Godau
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gaenslen
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Bruessel
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Wendt
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Abel
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Müller
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Gasser
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Berg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*