The correlation between genetic factors and freezing of gait in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2022;
98:7-12. [PMID:
35398727 DOI:
10.1016/j.parkreldis.2022.03.018]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Clinical-related risk factors to freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) have been identified. Still, the influence of genetic variations on the FOG occurrence has been poorly studied thus far.
AIM
We aimed to evaluate the association of six selected polymorphisms of DRD2, ANKK1, and COMT genes with the FOG occurrence and explore the influence of ANNK1/DRD2 haplotypes on the onset of FOG in the group of PD patients.
METHOD
PD patients (n = 234), treated with levodopa for at least two years, were genotyped for the rs4680 in COMT, rs6277, rs1076560, and rs2283265 in DRD2, and rs1800497 and rs2734849 polymorphisms in ANKK1 genes. FOG was evaluated by posing a direct question. In addition, a comprehensive set of clinical scales was applied to all patients.
RESULTS
FOG occurred in 132 (56.4%) PD patients in our cohort. Freezers were younger at PD onset, had longer disease duration, used higher levodopa daily doses and dopaminergic agents, and had higher motor and non-motor scales scores than non-freezers. FOG was more frequent among AA rs4680 COMT carriers than AG and GG rs4680 COMT carriers. Independent predictors of FOG were: disease duration of more than ten years, levodopa daily dose higher than 500 mg/day, motor status, and COMT AA genotype. AGGAA and GGAAA haplotypes were revealed as protective and vulnerability factors for FOG occurrence.
CONCLUSION
In addition to previously identified disease- and therapy-related risk factors, our results suggested a possible contribution of dopamine-related genes to the FOG occurrence.
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