Parkinson's disease in patients and obligate carriers of Gaucher disease.

Background: Gaucher disease is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by glucocerebrosidase gene mutations. Accumulating evidence from several Parkinson's disease cohorts of varying ethnicities suggests that glucocerebrosidase mutations even in the heterozygous state (carriers) may be a susceptibility factor for Parkinson's. Very few studies have analyzed the frequency of Parkinson's in carriers and individuals with Gaucher disease.