Last update:
25-Jun-2024

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease, characterized by a gradual deterioration of motor symptoms combined with neuropsychiatric disorders. The available pharmacotherapy until now is mainly aiming at the improvement of symptoms and quality of life of patients, as it mostly acts at the stage of replenishment of dopamine within the brain, a strategy that progressively fails due to the complete loss of dopaminergic neurons. The newest studies concerning the etiology, pathophysiology and pathogenesis of the disease reveal interesting therapeutic targets that could improve the effectiveness of the treatment by modifying the progression of the disease, rendering even personalized treatment possible. Receptors, genes, and proteins that play a major role in the pathophysiology of the disease have been extensively studied, and new drugs targeting them have already been approved or are under investigation.

Key words: Gene therapy, Novel treatment options, Parkinson's disease.