Intrafamilial and interfamilial heterogeneity of PINK1-associated Parkinson's disease in Sudan.

PINK1 is the second most predominant gene associated with autosomal recessive Parkinson's disease. Homozygous mutations in this gene are associated with an early onset of symptoms. Bradykinesia, tremors, and rigidity are common features, while dystonia, motor fluctuation, and non-motor symptoms occur in a lower percentage of cases and usually respond well to levodopa.

Methylation of alpha-synuclein in a Sudanese cohort.

Background: Several studies suggested a significant role of epigenetic changes, including alterations in miRNA, histone modifications, and DNA methylation of α-synuclein (SNCA) in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenicity. As of yet, only very few studies have been carried out in this field in Africa and none in Sudan.

Materials And Methods: We collected DNA from 172 Sudanese individuals (90 cases, 82 controls) who donated saliva for DNA extraction (mean age of onset: 40.