TLDR Six new genetic regions linked to early hair loss also connect to Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer, possibly leading to new treatments.
This study identified six new genetic regions associated with early-onset androgenetic alopecia (AGA), a common form of hair loss. The study also found unexpected associations between these genetic regions and other common diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer. The researchers suggest that these findings could lead to new insights into the underlying causes of AGA and these other diseases, and potentially new treatments. The study involved a large number of participants and used genome-wide association analysis to identify the genetic regions.
28 citations,
June 2010 in “European Journal of Cancer” Baldness at age 40 is not linked to a higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
29 citations,
March 2010 in “Cancer epidemiology” Men who start losing hair at age 30 may have a lower risk of prostate cancer.
111 citations,
October 2008 in “Nature Genetics” Researchers found a new gene area linked to male-pattern baldness, which, along with another gene, significantly increases the risk of hair loss in men.
57 citations,
February 2007 in “International Journal of Cancer” A49T gene variant linked to higher prostate cancer risk, lower hormone levels, and slightly reduced balding risk.
76 citations,
April 2005 in “Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention” E211 G>A gene linked to lower risk of severe prostate cancer and hair loss.
174 citations,
November 2002 in “Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine” Hair loss needs more research for better treatments.
4 citations,
November 2020 in “BMC Dermatology” Researchers identified genes in scalp hair follicles that may affect hair traits and hair loss.
Certain genes may influence hair loss differently in men and women.
July 2019 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” The research found that male pattern hair loss is mostly genetic and involves hair thinning due to hormonal effects and changes in gene expression.
46 citations,
February 2016 in “Experimental Dermatology” Genes play a significant role in male-pattern baldness, and understanding them could lead to new treatments and insights into related health issues.
13 citations,
March 2019 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment” Finasteride can treat hair loss, but may have side effects; evaluate and inform patients of risks.