On Aug. 23, 2023, a gene variant found almost exclusively in the genomes of people of African ancestry increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to an international study of nearly 198,000 participants with this genetic background.

Published in The Lancet Neurology, the study results suggest the risk may be linked to a variant in the gene encoding β-lucocerebrosidase (GBA1), a protein known to control how cells in the body recycle proteins. The study was led by scientists at the National Institutes of Health; the University College, London; and the University of Lagos, Nigeria.