The Parkinsons Foundation has expanded its PD GENErationnational study to include at-home genetic testing and virtual counseling inSpanish as well as English.

Opened in 2019 through the organization and partly supported by Biogen, PD GENEration offers Parkinsons (PD) patients free genetic testing plus genetic counseling to help them understand test results.

To remove barriers to Parkinsons research participation in the underserved Hispanic population, the Parkinsons Foundation decided to offer patientsat-home testing and counseling in Spanish. The study seeks to use the testing to boost clinical trial enrollment. In turn, researchers hope to use test results to develop treatment candidates and personalized therapeutic approaches.

We want the Hispanic community to know that they can be empowered by taking part in the PD GENEration program and that their voices and experiences are incredibly valuable in helping us move the field forward for the entire PD community, said Ignacio Mata, PhD, chair of the Parkinsons Foundation Hispanic Parkinsons Advisory Council, in a press release.

Offering the study in Spanish is critical to ensuring that the Hispanic community can easily participate and therefore will be well represented in this important study, Mata said.

After a virtual screening appointment to confirm eligibility, prospective PD GENEration participants schedule a two-hour virtual testing appointment. During that appointment, and with guidance from a healthcare professional, patients complete the genetic assessment.Test results are discussed with a counselor during a follow-up phone appointment.

To determine participation eligibility, go here for a short online questionnaire. For questions about enrollment, write to [emailprotected].

The Parkinsons Foundation has adapted to help the PD community gain access to this valuable and empowering information from the safety and comfort of their homes during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, said James Beck, PhD, the organizations chief scientific officer. We are looking forward to continuing this research study so that we may one day soon be able to provide precision treatments for the 1 million Americans living with Parkinsons disease.

Genetic testing and counseling will remain available at six in-person testing sites nationwide. The Foundation expects to add 10 testing sites next year.

In addition to identifying potential clinical trial participants, such testing can help scientists uncover underlying Parkinsons mechanisms, which could lead to improved treatments and patient care. Understanding genetic differences across people with Parkinsons can help reveal the diseases variable effect.

As it stands, genetic tests for Parkinsons often are unaffordable and not covered by insurance. And, many dont offer genetic counseling, which can help interpret test results. Consequently, most Parkinsons patients dont know whether they carry genetic changes in Parkinsons-related genes. The PD GENEration study seeks to address this need.

Early study results show that comprehensive genetic testing and counseling, and the identification of rare genetic mutations linked to the disease, is practicable for the Parkinsons community at large.

Roughly 15% of Parkinsons cases may be associated with genetic mutation.Since its launch, the PD GENEration study has tested at least 291 people, 52 of whom tested positive for a Parkinsons-related mutation.

The study tests for the following genes with known Parkinsons associations: GBA(glucocerebrosidase beta),LRRK2(dardarin),PRKN(Parkin),PINK1(PTEN induced putative kinase 1),PARK7(DJ-1),VPS-35,andSNCA(alpha-synuclein).

To date, some study participants tested have shown extremely rare mutations, with some individuals even carrying multiple Parkinsons-associated mutations. This information should contribute to a better understanding of the neurodegenerative disorder.

Mary M. Chapman began her professional career at United Press International, running both print and broadcast desks. She then became a Michigan correspondent for what is now Bloomberg BNA, where she mainly covered the automotive industry plus legal, tax and regulatory issues. A member of the Automotive Press Association and one of a relatively small number of women on the car beat, Chapman has discussed the automotive industry multiple times of National Public Radio, and in 2014 was selected as an honorary judge at the prestigious Cobble Beach Concours dElegance. She has written for numerous national outlets including Time, People, Al-Jazeera America, Fortune, Daily Beast, MSN.com, Newsweek, The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. The winner of the Society of Professional Journalists award for outstanding reporting, Chapman has had dozens of articles in The New York Times, including two on the coveted front page. She has completed a manuscript about centenarian car enthusiast Margaret Dunning, titled Belle of the Concours.

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Ana holds a PhD in Immunology from the University of Lisbon and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Instituto de Medicina Molecular (iMM) in Lisbon, Portugal. She graduated with a BSc in Genetics from the University of Newcastle and received a Masters in Biomolecular Archaeology from the University of Manchester, England. After leaving the lab to pursue a career in Science Communication, she served as the Director of Science Communication at iMM.

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PD GENEration Study Now Includes At-home Genetic Testing and... - Parkinson's News Today

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