Australian study discovers genetic link between brain volume & disorders

Sydney: A large-scale study of brain volumes by an Australian institute published on Tuesday has revealed links between genetic variants in brain size and conditions including Parkinson's disease.

The study, which was published by Australia's QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, discovered hundreds of genetic variants involved in brain volume that are also found in people with neurological disorders such as Parkinson's and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Miguel Renteria, leader of the research project from QIMR Berghofer, said that the discovery shows that some genetic variants that influence brain structure also influence the risk of developing brain-related conditions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Led by Renteria and QIMR colleague Luis Garcia-Marin, an international team of 189 scientists analysed DNA data and brain scans from 76,000 participants across 19 countries.

They observed 254 genetic variants that influence the size of a person's brain structure and then studied whether those variants were also implicated in the risk of developmental, psychiatric and neurological disorders.

"Genetic variants associated with larger brain volumes in key brain regions also increase the risk of Parkinson's disease, while variants linked to smaller brain volumes in key regions are associated with an increased risk of ADHD," Renteria said in a media release.

"These findings suggest that genetic influences that underpin individual differences in brain structure may be fundamental to understanding the underlying causes of brain-related disorders," he said.

Renteria described the research as a necessary step to understand and eventually treat neurological conditions more effectively and Garcia-Marin said it represents a step closer to treating the conditions in the future.

The study used imaging and genetic data from several international consortia.