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Media-Induced Confusion about LRRK2 Discussed in 23andMe Forums

Started by Andrew Yates · 9 months ago

PaulWicks asks:
LRRK2 mutations?
A patient with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) posted today on the PD board of PatientsLikeMe that Google founder Sergey Brin has tested positive for LRRK2, a mutation that is implicated in some cases of inherited PD. See the original blog here ... Continue reading »

2 comments

  • Steven Murphy MD

    9 months ago

    Nice wrap up Drew. I am sure they will benefit from this. Did you tell him about mutations like me???

    -Steve
    www.thegenesherpa.blogspot.com
    reply
  • Paul Wicks

    9 months ago

    Andrew, thanks for the comprehensive answer and analysis! I've actually just finished a postdoc looking at depression in PD and was attached to a movement disorders team for 3 years at King's College Hospital. It may or may not come as a surprise to to hear that incredibly few PD patients I ever saw come through the doors had genetic testing; unless a case was young-onset (before 40) or there was a very strong family history it wasn't deemed to be very useful.

    I believe there were also some practical difficulties with getting the tests done in a reasonable timeframe, or at least that was the case in the UK. What's so interesting about personal genomics is that patients and family members can, if they want to, discover these things for themselves. Since our forum discussion 23andMe have added a Parkinson's disease page to the health profile, but unlike most of the other pages they hide the results at first and you actively have to confirm that you wish to see them. That certainly seems like a good idea but I wonder if I'd tested positive for the bad mutation how I would have felt?
    reply

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