Genes for potential Parkinson’s disease in young people discovered, claims study

Recently published in Movement Disorders, a peer review journal, this study constitutes the largest genetic investigation of Parkinson's disease on a South Asian population. According to epidemiological studies, India accounts for approximately 10 per cent of the global cases, which translates to nearly 0.58 million patients living with the disease

The symptoms of Parkinson's disease progress with age and may include tremors in the body, loss of movement, deterioration in posture and balance, among others.(Representational)

A new study in the country has found some rare genes that can potentially predict who is at risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. So far, it was unclear as to why there was an early onset of the disease among the young in the country.

“Now, the new study has validated the existing knowledge along with new findings on the genetics of Parkinson’s disease. It has been found that rare genetic variations and risk genetic factors derived through polygenic risk score (PRS) can possibly detect Young Onset of Parkinson’s disease,” Dr Prashanth LK, Principal Investigator, Parkinson’s Research Alliance of India (PRAI) told The Indian Express.

Recently published in Movement Disorders, a peer review journal, this study constitutes the largest genetic investigation of Parkinson’s disease on a South Asian population. According to researchers, this opens the door for a first-ever genetic screening in India for Parkinson’s disease in high-risk individuals and affected families. The results can be evaluated by clinicians and geneticists to guide patients in early intervention, disease risk mitigation, and better treatment strategies, researchers added.

PRAI is a consortium of clinicians from academic and research centres in India committed to the research of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. The first of its kind India-wide registry of Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (disease starting at age less than 50 years) was started by PRAI in 2016-17 and resulted in insights into clinical and genetic aspects of Indian patients. Parkinson’s disease with onset less than 20 years (juvenile PD), 20-40 years (young onset PD) and 40-50 years (early onset PD) have different clinical features.

“The role of genetic factors seems to be higher in these patients compared to older age and this collaborative project of PRAI with MedGenome has identified unique genetic fingerprints in Indian patients,” Dr Prashanth LK said.

PRAI along with MedGenome, a global genomics firm in South Asia, conducted the study and researchers found that rare genetic variants along with common ones derived through a polygenic risk score can detect Young Onset of Parkinson’s Disease (YOPD). The Genetics of PAN-India Young Onset Parkinson Disease (GOPI-YOPD), a multicentre pan India project, recruited 1,000 patients through a network of 10 specialty Movement Disorder centres and neurology clinics across India.

“With the increased focus on personalised medicine, using risk screening tools such as Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) will enable us to predict an individual’s genetic liability to rare and inherited diseases much in advance before the symptoms start appearing. With these findings, we aim to offer a prognostic value to clinicians while catering to the need of systematic genetic evaluations for timely prevention and management of several diseases,” Dr Vedam Ramprasad, CEO, MedGenome said.

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According to epidemiological studies, India accounts for approximately 10 per cent of the global cases, which translates to nearly 0.58 million patients living with the disease. Prof Rupam Borgohain, Secretary of Parkinson’s Research Alliance of India (PRAI), said, “Parkinson’s disease is a common neurological disorder causing tremors, slowness of movements, stiffness and walking difficulties in most. It is caused by a complex interaction between external environmental and familial or genetic factors.”

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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