*{m}+ Google創業者 Sergey Brin､難病リスクを告白

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米スタンフォード大学在学中にGoogleを立ち上げた[L]Sergey Brin氏が、自身のブログ[too]で、「G2019S」という突然変異因子がみつかり、障害発生率は20〜80%ではあるがパーキンソン病のリスクを抱えていることを告白した。

The exact implications of this are not entirely clear. Early studies tend to have small samples with various selection biases. Nonetheless it is clear that I have a markedly higher chance of developing Parkinson’s in my lifetime than the average person. In fact, it is somewhere between 20% to 80% depending on the study and how you measure. At the same time, research into LRRK2 looks intriguing (both for LRRK2 carriers and potentially for others).

実は、彼の母親はパーキンソン病にかかっており、近親に遺伝しやすいことからSergey Brin氏への何らかの影響がないか危惧していたのだとか。

My mother had always been haunted by Parkinson’s because her aunt had suffered from it. I had often reasoned with her that since Parkinson’s is not hereditary (there is not a strong correlation of Parkinson’s incidence among close relatives), she had little to fear.

彼自身、そのリスクに対して具体的な調査をするなど、積極的に対峙しているようだ。これが健康への舵取りとなるように祈りたい。