ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Parkinson disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease of adult onset. Is a progressive movement disorder including tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability, with an age onset between 43 and 66 years. Histopathologically, is characterized by a severe loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and inclusions consisting of insoluble protein aggregates called Lewy bodies, this are comprised in part of alpha-synuclein. The etiology of PD is still not fully understood, but genetic analyses, epidemiologic studies and experimental models of PD are providing important new insights into the pathogenesis of PD. AIM: To determine allelic and genotypic frequencies of polymorphism IVS4+66A-G in the alpha-synuclein gene and to demonstrate its association with PD in northwest Mexican population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Genomic desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from 51 PD patients and 121 persons without PD were achieved by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed the allelic and genotypic distribution in IVS4+66A-G polymorphism of alpha-synuclein gene. RESULTS: The genotypic frequency of IVS4+66AA was 43.1% in PD patients and 38.8% in control group; IVS4+66GG was 2% in PD patients and 4.1% in control group, whereas 54.9% in PD patients and 57.1% in control group were heterozygous. Statistical differences were not observed between groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Association was not observed between the IVS4+66A-G polymorphism and PD.
