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Review
. 2021 Oct 23;12(11):1681.
doi: 10.3390/genes12111681.

Mapping the Diverse and Inclusive Future of Parkinson's Disease Genetics and Its Widespread Impact

Inas Elsayed  1   2 , Alejandro Martinez-Carrasco  3 , Mario Cornejo-Olivas  4   5 , Sara Bandres-Ciga  6
Affiliations
Review

Mapping the Diverse and Inclusive Future of Parkinson's Disease Genetics and Its Widespread Impact

Inas Elsayed et al. Genes (Basel). .

Abstract

Over the last decades, genetics has been the engine that has pushed us along on our voyage to understand the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although a large number of risk loci and causative mutations for PD have been identified, it is clear that much more needs to be done to solve the missing heritability mystery. Despite remarkable efforts, as a field, we have failed in terms of diversity and inclusivity. The vast majority of genetic studies in PD have focused on individuals of European ancestry, leading to a gap of knowledge on the existing genetic differences across populations and PD as a whole. As we move forward, shedding light on the genetic architecture contributing to PD in non-European populations is essential, and will provide novel insight into the generalized genetic map of the disease. In this review, we discuss how better representation of understudied ancestral groups in PD genetics research requires addressing and resolving all the challenges that hinder the inclusion of these populations. We further provide an overview of PD genetics in the clinics, covering the current challenges and limitations of genetic testing and counseling. Finally, we describe the impact of worldwide collaborative initiatives in the field, shaping the future of the new era of PD genetics as we advance in our understanding of the genetic architecture of PD.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; diversity; genetic testing; genetics; genetics counselling; post-GWAS era.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The Parkinson’s disease genetics path: From research to clinics. Parkinson’s disease (PD).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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