Clinical Profile and Genetic Composition of Patients With Juvenile Parkinsonism From a Single Tertiary Care Center in India
- Author:
Madathum Kuzhiyil FARSANA
1
;
Vikram V HOLLA
;
Prashant PHULPAGAR
;
Nitish KAMBLE
;
Babylakshmi MUTHUSAMY
;
Ravi YADAV
;
Pramod Kumar PAL
Author Information
- Publication Type:1
- From:Journal of Movement Disorders 2026;19(1):19-30
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objective:Studies outlining the genetic architecture of Parkinson’s disease in India are sparse, and juvenile parkinsonism is underrepresented in the literature. The objective was to study the clinical, therapeutic, and genetic profiles of patients with juvenile parkinsonism and to correlate their phenotypic–genotypic characteristics.
Methods:This retrospective chart review was conducted in patients with suspected genetically mediated juvenile parkinsonism (onset ≤21 years) who underwent genetic testing at a tertiary care center in India from 2015–2024. The available phenotypic–genotypic characteristics were evaluated and compared between Gene (+) and Gene (-) patients.
Results:Forty patients (22 males, 55.0%) with juvenile parkinsonism were included, with mean ages at onset and presentation of 15.85±4.96 years and 26.37±10.11 years, respectively. The mean duration of illness was 10.43±10.49 years. A positive family history was present in 40.0% of the participants, and consanguinity was present in 45%. Bradykinesia was the most common motor symptom (95.0%), and cognitive impairment was the most common nonmotor symptom (17.5%). Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were identified in 27 patients (67.5%), with variants in PRKN being the most common (n=8 patients), followed by those in PLA2G6 (n=7 patients). Gene (+) patients had significantly more severe disease with a better levodopa response and more frequent familial consanguinity, oculomotor abnormalities, motor fluctuations, and dyskinesia. Compared with PARK-PRKN patients, PARK-PLA2G6 patients had significantly more dystonia, gaze restriction, and pyramidal signs and more severe disease at presentation, with a lower levodopa equivalent daily dose and fewer motor fluctuations.
Conclusion:More than two-thirds (67.5%) of the juvenile parkinsonism patients in our cohort had an underlying monogenic cause. PARK-PRKN, PARK-PLA2G6, and PARK-SYNJ1 are the common causes of genetically mediated juvenile parkinsonism in India.
