An Introspective Approach: A Lifetime of Parkinson’s Disease Research and Not Much to Show for It Yet?

Abstract

I feel part of a massive effort to understand what is wrong with motor systems in the brain relating to Parkinson’s disease. Today, the symptoms of the disease can be modified slightly, but dopamine neurons still die; the disease progression continues inexorably. Maybe the next research phase will bring the power of modern genetics to bear on halting, or better, preventing cell death. The arrival of accessible human neuron assemblies in organoids perhaps will provide a better access to the processes underlying neuronal demise.

Keywords

• Parkinson’s disease
• alpha-synuclein
• genetics
• deep brain stimulation
• organoids
• anatomy