title: A reassessment of the Lewy body.
abstract: Lewy body has been linked to Parkinson's disease for almost a century, but its significance in neurodegenerative diseases is not known. Whether it is toxic, protective, or just a bystander has been a subject of debate. Recent advances in molecular and genetic works suggest Lewy bodies are not essential for the diagnosis and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, the discovery of gene mutations in PARK8, an autosomal-dominant late-onset parkinsonism with pleomorphic pathology, suggests the clinical expression of neurodegenerative diseases depends more on the anatomical pathways affected rather than any particular "pathological marker".
authors: Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors: Wing Lok
authors: WL
authors: Au
authors: Donald B
authors: DB
authors: Calne
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D000071158:Leucine-Rich Repeat Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase-2; D016631:Lewy Bodies / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D051843:Synucleins; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051843:Synucleins; D016875:tau Proteins; C495280:LRRK2 protein, human; D000071158:Leucine-Rich Repeat Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase-2; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases