Causes of neuronal death in Parkinson's disease
Schapira, A.H.
Advances in Neurology 86: 155-162
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0091-3952 PMID: 11553973 Document Number: 531442
The etiology of PD is complex and may depend on multiple factors, both hereditary and environmental. A proportion of PD disease patients show a deficiency in mitochondrial respiratory chain function, in particular a defect of complex I, within neurons of the substantia nigra. Both mitochondrial mutations and toxic agents (endogenous and exogenous) have been demonstrated to cause a deficiency in complex I function. This is achieved by increasing the degree of, or susceptibility to, oxidative stress, which may contribute to apoptopic cell death. Future research directed toward developing neuroprotective strategies may reduce oxidative stress and stabilize or improve mitochondrial function.