title: Neurodegeneration: new road leads back to the synapse.
abstract: Much of Parkinson's research over the last decade has focused on cellular stress as a candidate mechanism. In this issue of Neuron, a new study by Matta et al. (2012) addressing the biological functions of the Parkinson's gene LRRK2 now identifies a presynaptic substrate, homing in on the idea that synapse loss might be a central early aspect of neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research-CNCR, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam-NCA, VU Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heutink
authors.forename: Matthijs
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verhage
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D000071158:Leucine-Rich Repeat Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase-2; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D000217:Acyltransferases; C456023:endophilin A, Drosophila; C495280:LRRK2 protein, human; D000071158:Leucine-Rich Repeat Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase-2; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases