A large-scale brain volume study by an Australian institute published on Tuesday has revealed links between brain size and genetic variants in conditions including Parkinson’s disease.
The study, published by Australia’s QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, discovered hundreds of genetic variants involved in brain volume that were also found in people with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). is
Research project leader Miguel Renteria of QIMR Berghofer said that research shows that some genetic variants that affect the structure of the brain also affect the risk of developing brain-related conditions, the news agency reports.
Led by Renteria and QIMR colleague Luis García-Marin, an international team of 189 scientists analyzed DNA data and brain scans from 76,000 participants in 19 countries.
They looked at 254 genetic variants that affect the size of a person’s brain structure and then studied whether those variants were also involved in the risk of developmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders.
“Genetic variants associated with large brain volume in key brain regions increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, while variants associated with small brain volume in key brain regions are associated with increased risk of ADHD,” Renteria said. said in a media release.
“These findings suggest that genetic influences that underlie individual differences in brain structure may be fundamental to understanding the underlying causes of brain-related disorders,” he said.
Renteria called the research an important step toward more effectively understanding and eventually treating neurological conditions, and Garcia-Marin said it represents a step closer to treating the conditions in the future.
The study used imaging and genetic data from several international consortia.