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Cross-sectional study discloses a positive family history for Parkinson’s disease and male gender as epidemiological risk factors for substantia nigra hyperechogenicity

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Summary

Hyperechogenicity of the substantia nigra (SN) has been proposed to be a typical finding in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and a marker of vulnerability to nigrostriatal dysfunction in healthy subjects. This large cross-sectional study including 1120 subjects older than 50 years without any signs of PD was performed to evaluate the association of SN hyperechogenicity and other proposed epidemiological risk factors for PD. Among all variables assessed only family history of PD and male gender proved to be significantly associated with SN hyperechogenicity, indicating a genetic predisposition for the ultrasound marker.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Neurology, Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute of Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    K. J. Schweitzer, I. Liepelt, B. Wolf, J. Godau, A. Gaenslen, T. Bruessel, A. Wendt, T. Gasser & D. Berg

  2. Department of Neurology, University of Homburg/Saar, Homburg/Saar, Germany

    S. Behnke, C. Grosser, F. Abel & A. Müller

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  1. K. J. Schweitzer
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  2. S. Behnke
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  3. I. Liepelt
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  4. B. Wolf
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  5. C. Grosser
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  6. J. Godau
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  7. A. Gaenslen
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  8. T. Bruessel
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  9. A. Wendt
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  10. F. Abel
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  11. A. Müller
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  12. T. Gasser
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  13. D. Berg
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Schweitzer, K., Behnke, S., Liepelt, I. et al. Cross-sectional study discloses a positive family history for Parkinson’s disease and male gender as epidemiological risk factors for substantia nigra hyperechogenicity. J Neural Transm 114, 1167–1171 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-007-0725-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-007-0725-5

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