Postgraduate programs are getting a lot more practical with hands-on learning and job-focused training. By Christopher J. Gearon, Contributor | March 13, 2013, at 8:30 a.m. Focus on Job Skills With a Professional Master's Degree.
PARK2 (OMIM *602544) is the parkin gene that may cause a form of autosomal recessive juvenile Parkinson disease (OMIM 600116) due to a mutation in the parkin protein. This form of genetic mutation may be one of the most common known genetic causes of early-onset Parkinson disease.In one study of patients with onset of Parkinson disease prior to age 40 (10% of all PD patients), 18% had parkin mutations, with 5% homozygous mutations.his form of genetic mutation may be one of the most common known genetic causes of early-onset Parkinson disease. In one study of patients with onset of Parkinson disease prior to age 40 (10% of all PD patients), 18% had parkin mutations, with 5% homozygous mutations.
To date, abnormalities in particular genes have been linked to an elevated risk of Parkinsonâs disease. The three most common genes related to Parkinsonâs are PARK2 (parkin), LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) and glucocerebrosidase (GBA). Mutations in the GBA gene are most common in the general population. And mutations in the LLRK2 gene are most common in certain ethnic groups, accounting for about 30 to 40 percent of Parkinsonâs cases in North African Arabs and about 15 percent of Parkinsonâs cases in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.