香港六合彩中特网

香港六合彩中特网 scientists are leading genetic studies of Parkinson鈥檚 disease in Africa to raise awareness, provide equitable access to treatments and help reduce the global impact of this debilitating condition.

Parkinson鈥檚听disease听is the fastest-growing neurodegenerative illness听worldwide.听By 2040,听more than 13听million people will be living with PD听鈥撎齛 quarter of them听in Africa.听

Studies have听found听at least听20 genes听linked to听an听increased risk of PD听in Caucasians听and听several听promising diagnostic and therapeutic听targets听have been identified, but听these potentially successful treatments are likely to be ineffective in patients from other racial backgrounds.听听

鈥淧arkinson鈥檚听disease听is prevalent in听all听parts of the world, but few research studies听have听included听black African and Asian populations,鈥澨齟xplains Dr Mie听Rizig听(香港六合彩中特网听Queen Square Institute听of Neurology).听听

In Africa,听there听is a lack of awareness that听Parkinson鈥檚听is a neurological disorder. Instead, people with听the condition, which听causes听tremors, rigidity and falls,听are often听stigmatised.听

鈥�鈥淭his data is transforming Parkinson鈥檚 research and helping local organisations support better diagnosis and treatment services.鈥澨�

Dr听Rizig听and听her departmental听colleagues Professors听John Hardy and听Professor听Henry Houlden听are conducting the first听large听genetic study of Parkinson鈥檚 in Africa. With initial funding from the听香港六合彩中特网听Grand Challenges Research Fund,听they have听built collaborations with听neurologists and healthcare organisations听in Nigeria听and advocacy groups such as Parkinson鈥檚 Africa.听

Initially the听team听鈥� also helped with funding from the Michael J Fox Foundation 鈥� established听a registry of people diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚听disease听in Nigeria听to听improve听genetic and clinical听data听available to researchers听in听Africa and further afield.听

鈥淲e are now working with over 70 neurologists across Africa,听via听an International PD genetics consortium, first established in 2009 by听Prof Hardy听and colleagues.鈥� Dr听Rizig听explains.听

As well as supporting local healthcare workers,听the team听is听screening听the听genomes听of hundreds of听black Africans with Parkinson鈥檚听for known听susceptibility听and disease听genes.听

鈥淭his data is听transforming Parkinson鈥檚 research;听it is helping听local听organisations support听better听diagnosis听and treatment听services听and听encouraging听pharmaceutical companies to invest in trials in Africa,鈥澨齛dds Dr听Rizig. 鈥淎ll of听this is听vital if we are to听stem the tide of this devastating disease."