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Published on: June 6, 2025
A GABBR2 gene variant modifies pathophysiology in Huntington's disease
April L Philpott1, Paul B Fitzgerald2, Neil W Bailey2
1School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
Genetic variations in GABBR2, a gene influencing brain pathways, are linked to altered corticospinal excitability in Huntington's disease (HD). This finding may help develop biomarkers for HD diagnosis and prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Neurology
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) involves striatal degeneration, impacting cortico-subcortical pathways.
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can assess neurophysiology but is underutilized in HD.
- GABA and dopamine receptor genes modulate these pathways, offering potential insights into HD pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate genetic associations with neurophysiological measures in HD.
- To explore how specific gene variants (GABRA2, GABBR1, GABBR2, DRD1, DRD2, DRD4) relate to TMS-assessed pathways and age of onset in HD patients.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-nine HD participants underwent motor cortex stimulation using TMS.
- Corticospinal excitability, cortical inhibition, and intracortical facilitation were measured via electromyography.
- Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mapping was performed on six key genes.
Main Results:
- A GABBR2 variant, predicted to be disease-causative, showed a significant association with corticospinal excitability (corrected for multiple comparisons).
- Exploratory analyses revealed associations between GABBR2, GABRA2, and DRD2 variants with TMS measures and age of onset.
Conclusions:
- Genetic associations with neurophysiological measures and age of onset can yield sensitive biomarkers for HD.
- Identifying these genetic links may reveal novel therapeutic targets for Huntington's disease.
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