Is red hair gene linked to increased risk of Parkinson's?

Conclusion This study looked at the role the red hair gene MC1R plays in the brains of mice. The findings suggest the gene has a part to play in keeping certain nerve cells in the brain alive. The cells in question are those that die off in Parkinson's disease and cause the condition's characteristic movement problems. These findings in mice are likely to need further investigation in human cells and tissue in lab studies. Exactly what causes brain cells to die, causing Parkinson's disease, is unknown. As with many conditions, it's thought both genetic and environmental factors could play a role. Research like this helps us gain a better understanding of the disease and how it might be treated or prevented. But Parkinson's is a complex disease, and this new study has only looked at one small piece of a much bigger puzzle. For redheads, it may be comforting to know this link has not yet been proven beyond a doubt. And not all studies in humans have found a link between variants in the MC1R gene and Parkinson's. In fact, a recent systematic review by some of the authors of this study looked into this. The review gathered studies published to date that have investigated the link between red hair variants of the MC1R gene and Parkinson's disease. Six studies assessing links with two variants of this gene were identified, but the studies couldn't quite exclude the possibility of no effect when pooled. The review also identified two studies looking at hair colour. These studie...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Genetics/stem cells Source Type: news