AAN 2021 | Genetic subtyping in Parkinson’s disease
Alberto Espay, MD, FAAN, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, discusses the growth of genetic subtyping in clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease (PD), as well as the remaining knowledge gaps preventing therapeutic advances. Two major genetic drivers of PD have been identified as GBA and LRRK2 mutations, carriers of which are beginning to be categorized as separate subtypes in clinical trials. However, evidence is starting to suggest that heterogeneous pathogenic mechanisms in PD underly further subtypes within these genetic subtypes, which are critical to the success of a treatment. This interview took place during the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 2021 Annual Meeting.
Disclosures
Dr. Espay has received grant support from the NIH and the Michael J Fox Foundation; personal compensation as a consultant/scientific advisory board member for Abbvie, Neuroderm, Neurocrine, Amneal, Acadia, Acorda, Kyowa Kirin, Sunovion, Lundbeck, and USWorldMeds; honoraria from Acadia, Sunovion, Amneal, USWorldMeds; and publishing royalties from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Cambridge University Press, and Springer. He cofounded REGAIN Therapeutics, owner of a patent application that covers synthetic soluble non-aggregating peptide analogues as replacement treatment in proteinopathies. He serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, European Journal of Neurology, and JAMA Neurology.
