Scientists find 5 new Parkinson's genes

In London, scientists have discovered five new gene's that are linked to Parkinson's disease, increasing the proof of degenerative disease is triggered by people's genes.

"The major common genetic variants for Parkinson's have been found," said Nick Wood, a professor at the Institute of Neurology at University College London, one of the researchers who led the study. "We haven't put together all the pieces of the puzzle yet, but we're not that far off," he said.

Scientists analyzed genetic samples from more than 12,000 people with the disease and more than 21,000 of the general population of Europe and the U.S. The highest number of mutations were in the eleven genes linked to Parkinson's disease are two and half times more likely to develop the disease then people with less mutations.

Scientists say identifying Parkinson's disease could help explain what sparks the disease and have hope that it will lead to new treatments.

"There is good reason for optimism that these advances will be translated into direct benefits for our patients," wrote Christine Klein and Andreas Ziegler of the University of Lubeck in Germany.—