A longstanding mystery in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research has been why some individuals carrying pathogenic variants that increase their risk of PD go on to develop the disease, while others who also carry such variants do not. The prevailing theory has suggested additional genetic factors may play a role.

To address this question, a new study from Northwestern Medicine used modern technology, called CRISPR interference, to systematically examine every gene in the human genome. In a study published in the journal Science, the scientists identified a new set of genes that contribute to the risk of Parkinson’s disease, which opens the door to previously untapped drug targets for treating PD.

More than 10 million people worldwide are living with PD, the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease.