How coffee protects against Parkinson's
Thursday, July 10, 2014 - 20:32
in Biology & Nature
A specific genetic variation discovered by researchers protects against Parkinson’s Disease – especially for those who drink a lot of coffee. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's have a complicated background where both genetic factors and exposure to environmental factors are involved. In a study of a million genetic malformations, the research team identified a variant of the GRIN2A gene as a protective factor against Parkinson's. The corresponding protein is part of a complex that is thought to play a role in several neurodegenerative diseases.