Needed: Clinical trial participants for a large-scale study.
Like HEXA in Tay-Sachs and BRCA in breast cancer, research suggests that a gene called LRRK2 is responsible for an estimated 15 percent of Parkinson’s disease cases in people of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish ancestry. Because of this, the foundation recently launched a clinical study focused on Parkinson’s disease and genetics.
The study, the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) is seeking individuals who meet either of the following criteria to complete a brief survey:
- People with PD who are of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish, North African Berber, or Basque ancestry
- People without PD who are related to someone with PD AND who are of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish, North African Berber, or Basque ancestry
