Shared from myparkinsonsteam.com.
A MyParkinsonsTeam member recently asked, “Should I do genetic testing for PD? Several of my family members have had it … Does it run in families?”
The short answer is: it’s complicated. There is still much that scientists do not know about Parkinson’s disease (PD). It remains largely unknown why certain people get it and others don’t. Based on the available data and research, most scientists believe that Parkinson’s is due to a combination of nature and nurture — genetics plus environmental factors. These factors may include certain drugs or exposures to chemicals like pesticides and herbicides.
About 85 percent of Parkinson’s cases are thought to be sporadic, meaning they occur without any genetic factors that can be identified. The other 15 percent of cases are considered potentially familial or genetic, with certain genes and mutations leading to an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s.
If you know of family members who have Parkinson’s, you may be wondering if you or others will get it one day as well. Therefore, it’s important to understand a few key facts about what might prompt Parkinson’s to develop.