Research Progress on the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment of Parkinson Disease
A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurodegenerative Diseases".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 497
Special Issue Editors
Interests: Parkinson’s disease; dementia; Lewy body diseases; REM sleep behavior disorder; LB-related disease progression; intervention strategies
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, Parkinson's disease (PD) research has experienced a potential paradigm shift. The emerging alpha-synuclein origin and connectome (SOC) model offers a novel perspective on how the pathology may initiate and progress in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. This new approach presents fresh challenges and opportunities for tracking the disease’s progression. Still, this hypothesized model requires substantial validation and cross-validation evidence before it can be fully adopted. Understanding the diverse clinical presentations and effectively managing this heterogeneity remain significant challenges. The spectrum of Lewy body diseases, which include PD, Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLBs), poses difficulties in both the clinical and biological definitions. Mixed pathologies and overlooked comorbidities also impact disease manifestations, yet there is no consensus on the integration of these aspects into a comprehensive disease model, which potentially hampers the efficacy of treatment strategies. Furthermore, understanding how the disease initiates before significant brain damage occurs is crucial, with the preclinical and prodromal phases representing critical windows of opportunity, despite the current challenges in their identification.
Emerging theories on disease origin and progression, combined with strategies to track in vivo 'neuropathology'—such as skin biopsy, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis—and advancements in molecular imaging techniques that quantify neurobiological imbalances even in small brain structures, offer unprecedented opportunities for progress. This Special Issue unpacks these new conceptualizations and techniques, highlighting recent advances in the clinical and endophenotypic heterogeneity of PD and drawing attention to the potential future treatment options.
We welcome papers that explore Lewy body-related disease models, disease progression, and the associated clinical manifestations, including studies on preclinical and prodromal populations. Contributions of new treatment options are also encouraged.
Dr. Giulia Carli
Dr. Prabesh Kanel
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- Parkinson’s disease
- Lewy bodies diseases
- disease progression
- clinical heterogeneity
- preclinical and prodromal stages
- treatments
- comorbidities
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