npj Parkinson's Disease (Dec 2024)

Biologically defined neuronal synuclein disease as a tool to advance drug development

  • Gennaro Pagano,
  • Tien Dam,
  • Geoffrey A. Kerchner,
  • Wendy R. Galpern,
  • Milton Biagioni,
  • Rajesh Karan,
  • Danna Jennings,
  • M. Judith Peterschmitt,
  • Tania Nikolcheva,
  • Patrik Brundin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41531-024-00845-5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 1
pp. 1 – 3

Abstract

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In a recent Viewpoint article (JAMA Neurol. 2024;81:789‒90), Okubadejo et al. raised concerns regarding two recent proposals for biological definitions and staging systems for synucleinopathies (the Neuronal Synuclein Disease Integrated Staging System and SynNeurGe system). While acknowledging these concerns, we provide an alternative perspective—that such frameworks represent important steps forward by allowing biologically defined populations to be targeted with precision treatments that can be accurately evaluated using stage-specific outcomes.