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a larger brain autopsy cohort required?

Posted by huangyuehrb on 02 Jan 2013 at 00:59 GMT

This is a very interesting study, which investigates the mechanisms of the PD associated SNPs with the endophenotype of gene expression. Unfortunately, this study is eventually conducted on a small cohort (26 PD and 24 control cortical brain samples), although 118 PD and 87 control brains are available. Frontal cortex is later affected in PD, but there is no Braak PD stage information in Table 1, which means frontal cortex could have or don’t have Lewy body. Protein solubility and levels are significantly changed as PD progresses (Zhou J, 2011, Acta Neuropathol, doi: 10.1007/s00401-011-0815-1). Gene expression levels differ in the same brain region at different Braak PD stages is expected. To reach the aim of 'identification of the disease-related eQTLs', analysis in a larger cohort with detailed pathological information is required.

No competing interests declared.