Is Parkinson’s hereditary?

I have been asked many times if Parkinson’s is hereditary. I am not a doctor; simply a woman suffering from Gaucher and Parkinson’s disease, who is a writer, sharing my thoughts with you through this blog. As far as I can ascertain, there is no clear evidence and the jury is still out as to whether Parkinson’s is hereditary or not. My particular case is an unusual one, having other immediate family with Parkinson’s, an important fact to remember is we also suffer from Gaucher disease and a connection between these two diseases has been established. Although my family history seems to strongly suggest that in my specific case PD is probably hereditary, I do not want to give a false impression that Parkinson’s in general is inherited. I know of many people who have PD and no one else appears to be affected in their family. Until there is indisputable confirmation proving or disproving, no one can give a precise answer to this question that so many are asking. I'm sorry, but for now there does not appear to be a conclusive answer.