SYDNEY, OCT 22 – A large-scale study of brain volume by an Australian institute has revealed a link between genetic variants in brain size and conditions including Parkinson’s disease.
The study, published today by Australia’s QIMR Berghofer Institute of Medical Research, found hundreds of genetic variants involved in brain volume that are also found in people with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The head of the research project from QIMR Berghofer, Miguel Renteria said the findings show that some genetic variants that affect brain structure also affect the risk of developing brain-related diseases.
Led by Renteria and QIMR colleague Luis Garcia-Marin, the international team of 189 scientists analyzed DNA data and brain scans from 76,000 participants in 19 countries.
They looked at 254 genetic variants that affect the size of a person’s brain structure and then studied whether those variants were also involved in the risk of developmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders.
“Genetic variants associated with larger brain volumes in key brain regions also increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, while variants associated with smaller brain volumes in key regions are associated with increased risk of ADHD,” Renteria said in a media release.
“These findings show that genetic influences that support individual differences in brain structure may be the basis for understanding the causes of brain-related disorders,” he said.
Renteria described the research as a necessary step toward understanding and ultimately treating neurological conditions more effectively, and Garcia-Marin also said it represents a step closer to treating related diseases in the future.
The study also used imaging and genetic data from several international consortia. – Xinhua
