Milestones of Parkinson’s Disease Research: 200 Years of History and Beyond

Excerpt

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide. Since its first description as a neurological disorder by James Parkinson (1755–1824) in 1817, many important discoveries have been made during this 200 years of PD research history. These milestones have revealed many aspects of PD, including clinical and pathological characteristics, anatomy and neurochemistry, environmental and genetic factors, hypothesis of peripheral to central spread, and advances in diagnostic technology and therapeutic approaches. All these achievements have shed light on the pathophysiological process of PD and have further explored the comprehensive management of this disease. However, this journey to conquer PD is still far from being accomplished. Early and precise diagnosis strategies, together with disease-modifying therapy, are urgently needed. To this end, it is necessary to recall these milestones in PD research history and appreciate their lasting impact on current and future PD research. In a historical review article published recently in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Dr. Serge Przedborski recounted the fascinating 200-year journey of PD [1]. To better highlight the historical milestones of PD research, here, we have extracted important discoveries from Dr. Przedborski’s timely review paper. In addition, we also provide important supplementary information to emphasize the significant contributions of research findings from East and West before James Parkinson. …