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Clinical characteristics of Parkinson’s disease among Jewish Ethnic groups in Israel

  • Parkinson's Disease and Allied Conditions - Original Article
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Abstract

Yemenite Jews in Israel are a distinctive ethnic division of the Jewish diaspora. Clinical findings, disease course and genetic tests for the LRRK2 6055G > A (G2019S) mutation were compared between Ashkenazi and Yemenite Israeli patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Age of onset was significantly younger in the Yemenites (P < 0.001). There were no differences in the distribution of initial symptoms, environmental risk factors or rate of motor/non-motor phenomena. The Yemenite group had a more severe disease (P < 0.001), and a more rapid disease course (P = 0.006). The frequency of Lrrk2 substitution was 12.7% in the Ashkenazi group and was not observed in the Yemenites. These results show that there are differences between Israeli Jewish ethnic groups in the severity and progression of PD, but not in clinical symptoms. The high frequency of Lrrk2 G2019S in the Ashkenazi and its absence in the Yemenite Jews suggests a specific ancestral pattern of inheritance in Ashkenazi Jews.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Parkinson Foundation, USA, and the Alan and Norma Aufzien Chair for Research in Parkinson’s Disease, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Molecular genetic analysis was supported by the Neurogenetic Core of a Morris K. Udall Center (NINDS P50 NS40256).

Conflicts of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, 49100, Petah Tiqwa, Israel

    R. Djaldetti, V. Kolianov, S. Yust-Katz, T. A. Treves, Y. Barhum & E. Melamed

  2. Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    R. Djaldetti, V. Kolianov, S. Yust-Katz, T. A. Treves, Y. Barhum & E. Melamed

  3. Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    S. Hassin-Baer

  4. Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA

    M. J. Farrer, C. Vilariño-Güell, O. A. Ross & M. Hulihan

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  1. R. Djaldetti
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  2. S. Hassin-Baer
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  3. M. J. Farrer
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  4. C. Vilariño-Güell
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  5. O. A. Ross
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  6. V. Kolianov
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  7. S. Yust-Katz
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  8. T. A. Treves
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  9. Y. Barhum
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  10. M. Hulihan
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  11. E. Melamed
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Correspondence to R. Djaldetti.

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Djaldetti, R., Hassin-Baer, S., Farrer, M.J. et al. Clinical characteristics of Parkinson’s disease among Jewish Ethnic groups in Israel. J Neural Transm 115, 1279–1284 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-008-0074-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-008-0074-z

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