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Preprohypocretin polymorphisms in Parkinson disease patients reporting "sleep attacks"
Ida Rissling1, Yvonne Körner, Frank Geller
1Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany.
Sleep
|August 30, 2005
Summary
Researchers found a link between the preprohypocretin gene (-909T/C) polymorphism and sudden sleep onset in Parkinson disease patients. This suggests a genetic factor contributing to sleep disturbances in Parkinson disease.
Area of Science:
- Neurogenetics
- Sleep Medicine
- Parkinson's Disease Research
Background:
- Sudden onset of sleep is a disabling symptom in Parkinson disease (PD).
- Previous research identified an association between the dopamine D2 receptor gene polymorphism (Taq IA) and sudden sleep onset in PD patients.
- The role of other genetic factors, such as preprohypocretin (PPH) gene polymorphisms, in PD-related sleep disturbances remains to be fully elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between specific preprohypocretin gene polymorphisms (-909T/C, -22C/T, and -20C/A) and the occurrence of sudden onset of sleep in Parkinson disease patients.
- To explore potential interactions between PPH gene polymorphisms and the previously identified Taq IA polymorphism in relation to sudden sleep onset in PD.
Main Methods:
- An association study was conducted on 264 Caucasian Parkinson disease patients (132 with and 132 without sudden onset of sleep).
- Patients were matched for drug therapy, disease duration, sex, and age.
- DNA was extracted from blood samples, and preprohypocretin polymorphisms were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction or direct sequencing.
Main Results:
- The T allele of the preprohypocretin (-909T/C) polymorphism was significantly more prevalent in PD patients experiencing sudden onset of sleep.
- Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in both genotype (P = .024) and allele (P = .018) distributions between the groups.
- Carriers of the T allele (heterozygous and homozygous) showed an increased relative risk for sudden onset of sleep (2.01 and 2.81, respectively).
Conclusions:
- The preprohypocretin (-909T/C) polymorphism is significantly associated with sudden onset of sleep in Parkinson disease patients.
- No interaction was found between the Taq IA and (-909T/C) polymorphisms concerning sudden sleep onset.
- These findings suggest that multiple genetic factors likely contribute to the development of sudden sleep onset in Parkinson disease.