X chromosome-wide association studies in neurological disorders: uncovering the hidden influence of the X chromosome.

X chromosome-wide association studies (XWAS) have identified susceptibility variants for various neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases. The unique characteristics of the chromosome require more complex analytical approaches than standard genome-wide association studies. Over the past 2 decades, refined XWAS methods have better accounted for this biology.

Genome-wide association analyses reveal susceptibility variants linked to Parkinson's disease in the South African population using inferred global and local ancestry.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been successful in identifying over 100 loci associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) susceptibility. However, the majority of these studies have focused on European cohorts with few including diverse ancestries. Using genotyped and imputed data from 691 South African PD cases and 826 controls, we conducted a conventional GWAS, two local ancestry GWAS (LA-GWAS) approaches (one using local ancestry as a covariate and the other separating the dosage per ancestry), and an association analysis to identify regions of homozygosity associated with PD status.

Genome-wide assessment identifies novel runs of homozygosity linked to Parkinson's disease etiology across diverse ancestral populations.

Objective: We conducted the first large-scale, multi-ancestral investigation of Parkinson's disease (PD) to examine the impact of genome-wide homozygosity on disease risk and age at onset. Using genotyping, imputed, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from 16,599 PD cases and 13,585 controls across nine ancestral populations from the Global Parkinson's Genetics Program, we aimed to identify novel regions of homozygosity contributing to PD heritability.

Methods: We analyzed runs of homozygosity (ROHs) for total length (S), number (N), average length (AV), and genomic inbreeding coefficient (F).

Large-scale genetic characterization of Parkinson's disease in the African and African admixed populations.

Elucidating the genetic contributions to Parkinson's disease (PD) etiology across diverse ancestries is a critical priority for the development of targeted therapies in a global context. We conducted the largest sequencing characterization of potentially disease-causing, protein-altering and splicing mutations in 710 cases and 11,827 controls from genetically predicted African or African admixed ancestries. We explored copy number variants (CNVs) and runs of homozygosity (ROHs) in prioritized early onset and familial cases.

Methodologies underpinning polygenic risk scores estimation: a comprehensive overview.

Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have emerged as a promising tool for predicting disease risk and treatment outcomes using genomic data. Thousands of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), primarily involving populations of European ancestry, have supported the development of PRS models. However, these models have not been adequately evaluated in non-European populations, raising concerns about their clinical validity and predictive power across diverse groups.

The South African Parkinson's Disease Study Collection.

Parkinson's disease (PD) incidence is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. We recruited 687 individuals with PD from different ancestral groups across South Africa. More Afrikaner Europeans had early-onset PD than other ancestral groups.