title: [Imaging of genetic aspects of Parkinson's disease].
abstract: Although the mechanisms which cause Parkinson's disease (PD) are still poorly understood, research on monogenic forms of PD have demonstrated a significant genetic contribution to its etiology. Monogenic forms of PD only account for a minority of cases but offer a unique avenue of research into the pathogenesis of PD. In this article the potential of structural and functional neuroimaging in monogenic forms to provide general insights into the pathophysiology of PD, including the more common idiopathic disease is reviewed. The review has a particular focus on neuroimaging of non-manifesting mutation carriers to study functional and structural changes in the brain at the asymptomatic stage of PD. This line of research has started to provide valuable insights into how the brain can cope with a latent nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficit and thereby delay the clinical onset of PD.
authors.affiliation: Sektion für Klinische und Molekulare Neurogenetik an der Klinik für Neurologie, Universität zu Lübeck, Lübeck, Deutschland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brüggemann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vegt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Siebner
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011868:Radioisotopes; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D004298:Dopamine