Telomere length and risk of Parkinson's disease

Mov Disord. 2008 Jan 30;23(2):302-5. doi: 10.1002/mds.21867.

Abstract

We investigated whether telomere length was associated with the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) in a case-control study (96 cases and 172 age-matched controls) nested within the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Relative ratio of telomere repeat copy number to single-gene copy number in peripheral blood leukocytes was determined by quantitative real time PCR. Men with shorter telomeres had a lower PD risk (multivariate adjusted relative risk for the lowest vs. the highest quartile 0.33; 95% confidence interval: 0.12-0.90). Our results suggest that, contrary to telomere attrition observed in several aging-related diseases, shorter telomeres are not associated with an increased risk of PD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parkinson Disease / genetics*
  • Parkinson Disease / pathology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Telomere / pathology*
  • Telomere / ultrastructure*