UPDATE 2

Dr. Lynch's Research

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LINKS TO: PD | Update 1: Management | Update 2: Research | Volunteers (Online Forms) | Volunteers (Form to Print)
Dr. Gosal's Articles: PD Genetics - a Review | What Causes Parkinson's?

December 2003 UPDATE

Dr. Lynch's PD Research Registrar for 2003-5 was Dr. David Gosal, who has now gone to the UK to pursue his studies. He has appealed for more volunteers for this project, (Dr. Lynch will hopefully have another retistrar in place shortly) which represents an enlargement of the original one, to include

  1. people with PD (not just Young Onset PD),
  2. immediate family members - parents, children, aunts, uncles
  3. friends who have lived in the same area as the person with PD.

PALS Support Group would encourage participation in this research project, as the larger the number of volunteers the more potential for meaningful results!

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT ALREADY DONATED A BLOOD SAMPLE:

  1. If you have PD, regardless of when you were first diagnosed,
  2. if you are the son/daughter/aunt/uncle/grandchild of that person, or
  3. if you have lived near that person for more than two years
  4. and live in Ireland

OR

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY DONATED A BLOOD SAMPLE FOR THIS RESEARCH:

  1. If you are related to that person - son/daughter/aunt/uncle/grandchild,
  2. or are the spouse/partner of that person
  3. or live near that person,
  4. and live in Ireland,
please read the research details below, and if you would like to assist Dr. Gosal and the team in their research, please:
  1. Fill in the Research Volunteer Form (Online)
  2. Or print off a Research Volunteer Form (Print) and post it to
    Dr. D. Gosal, Research Registrar to Dr. Lynch,
    Suite 1, Mater Private Hospital,
    Eccles Street, Dublin 7. Dr. Gosal will then contact you.
  3. Or email Dr. Gosal: davidgosal@eircom.net

Dr. Gosal has written two articles in which he explains the reasons this research is so important, along with expanding on the ideas behind this research and what the team hopes to achieve.

Links to these articles:

  1. Dr. Gosal: PD Genetics: A review for the Uninitiated

  2. What Causes Parkinson's?

D. Lynch's original article:

February 6, 2002

"I have two main projects ongoing at present.

  1. Research Project 1

    Firstly, myself and Research Registrar Dr. Joe Wiley are studying young onset Parkinson's disease (i.e.less than 60 years of age) in Ireland.

    • We are developing a registry of all patients with onset of Parkinson's disease before age 60. (December 2003 - this has now been extended to include patients with PD who were diagnosed after the age of 60).

      We wish to examine all these individuals, obtain a history and develop a database outlining their clinical details.

    • In addition we are taking a blood sample from all individuals for DNA extraction so that we can analyze various genes that are associated with Parkinson's disease. Presently there are 3 known genes that when mutated result in Parkinson's disease. These include alpha-synuclein, Parkin and UCH-L1. There are also four known locations within the genum that other disease causing genes lie. It is critically important to be able to identify these other genes and part of our objective is to do this.

    • Finally we will also wish to obtain blood samples from spouses and relatives of people with young onset Parkinson's disease as it will be important to compare their gene pattern to those with Parkinson's disease. This may allow identification of these other four genes within the genum.

  2. Research Project 2

    The second study has obtained research funding from the Irish Brain Research Foundation. This study is a follow-up study on work that I have done in the past looking at an Irish-American family with an inherited form of parkinsonism and dementia. The original study led to the identification of the responsible gene called tau. We wish to follow on with this study and look at families with this disorder in more detail, as there is a major overlap with some of the atypical forms of parkinsonism.

We would welcome any inquiries from those interested in these studies as we hope that they will cast more light on the mechanism of parkinsonism and thus possibly new therapies in the future."

Dr. T. Lynch

Dr. Joe Wiley, Dr. Lynch's Research Registrar, in 2002 added the following:

One thing to note: all samples are given in strictest confidentiality and no one will have access to the results bar the medical team. Also as this is research there are no results available. By participating, you are helping us to better understand Parkinson's disease in Ireland which will obviously help us in the long run.

Click on the link here to go to the Research Volunteer Form! >>>Volunteer Form

Please note: You will only be contacted for the purposes of this research. Your name will not be added to any database, and your contact will either be Dr. Gosal or another member of Dr. Lynch's team.

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