Pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease: Mitochondria, alpha-synuclein and much more ...

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex, age-related, neurodegenerative disease whose pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Here, we give an overview of the progress that has been made over the past four decades in our understanding of this disorder. We review the role of mitochondria, environmental toxicants, alpha-synuclein and neuroinflammation in the development of PD. We also discuss more recent data from genetics, which strongly support the endosomal-lysosomal pathways and mitophagy as being central to PD. Finally, we discuss the emerging role of the gut-brain axis as a modulator of PD progression. This article is intended to provide a comprehensive, general and practical review of PD pathogenesis for the general neurologist. (C) 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Parkinson's disease is a complex neurodegenerative disease involving mitochondria, environmental toxicants, alpha-synuclein, neuroinflammation, and genetic factors. Recent data suggest the importance of endosomal-lysosomal pathways and mitophagy in PD pathogenesis. The gut-brain axis is also emerging as a modulator of PD progression.