Introduction

Katrina Gwinn-Hardy led this Web seminar and discussion on the whole genome study of Parkinson disease which was published recently in Lancet Neurology. Co-author Gwinn-Hardy presented the findings and introduced some discussion topics around data sharing in genetics research, a topic that has been under discussion for Alzheimer disease research as well. Featured discussion participants included Deborah Blacker, John Hardy, and Andrew Singleton.

Citation: Fung HC, Scholz S, Matarin M, Simón-Sánchez J, Hernandez D, Britton A, Gibbs JR, Langefeld C, Stiegert ML, Schymick J, Okun MS, Mandel RJ, Fernandez HH, Foote KD, Rodríguez RL, Peckham E, De Vrieze FW, Gwinn-Hardy K, Hardy JA, Singleton A. Genome-wide genotyping in Parkinson's disease and neurologically normal controls: first stage analysis and public release of data. Lancet Neurol. 2006 Nov ;5(11):911-6. Abstract

Katrina Gwinn-Hardy led this live discussion on 18 December 2006. Readers are invited to submit additional comments by using our Comments form at the bottom of the page.

Background

Background Text
By Katrina Gwinn-Hardy

This study is groundbreaking in a number of respects. Firstly, it reveals that there does not appear to be a gene which has a strong influence on the risk of most Parkinson's disease, although genes of small influence may still be discovered. Secondly, it sets a very important precedent on sharing: never before has whole genome genotyping information, and detailed phenotypic information on people with Parkinson disease, as well as on normal healthy individuals, been completely openly, publicly available without restriction, (while protecting the privacy of all subjects who participated). Such open sharing will allow researchers to further study the genetic code that has been sequenced in these people, to do more work on Parkinson disease, without the additional cost to research and to patients and their families of redrawing blood and re-doing the genetic study. Such sharing is essential if large enough data sets are to be developed to allow major genetic discoveries in the future.

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References

Webinar Citations

1. Whole Genome Study for Parkinson Disease 13 Dec 2006

Paper Citations

1. Fung HC, Scholz S, Matarin M, Simón-Sánchez J, Hernandez D, Britton A, Gibbs JR, Langefeld C, Stiegert ML, Schymick J, Okun MS, Mandel RJ, Fernandez HH, Foote KD, Rodríguez RL, Peckham E, De Vrieze FW, Gwinn-Hardy K, Hardy JA, Singleton A. Genome-wide genotyping in Parkinson's disease and neurologically normal controls: first stage analysis and public release of data. Lancet Neurol. 2006 Nov;5(11):911-6. PubMed.

Further Reading