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Life
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New Insights into Parkinson’s Disease: From Molecular Basis to Therapy
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New Insights into Parkinson’s Disease: From Molecular Basis to Therapy

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 3477

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Kallirhoe Kalinderi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Medical Biology-Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: genetics; neurodegeneration; Parkinson’s disease; Alzheimer’s disease; biomarkers; pharmacogenetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease affecting 1–2% of the population over the age of 65 years. About 90–95% of PD patients have sporadic disease attributed to interactions between environmental and genetic factors, whereas approximately 5–10% of PD cases are familial, following an autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Advances in the field of genetics have aided the identification of specific genes and the recognition of molecular pathways relevant to PD pathogenesis.

In this Special Issue entitled “New Insights into Parkinson’s Disease: From Molecular Basis to Therapy”, submissions are invited (research articles, reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, etc.) that enhance our knowledge of the genetic background of PD, aiming to better delineate genetic and epigenetic contributions to disease progression, increase our understanding on the exact pathophysiologic mechanisms implicated in PD, utilize genetic information to facilitate the diagnosis and prediction of this disease, as well as enable more tailored and effective therapeutic approaches for patients experiencing this neurodegenerative disease.

Dr. Kallirhoe Kalinderi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Parkinson’s disease
  • neurodegeneration
  • genes
  • GWAs
  • polygenic risk score
  • therapy
  • precision medicine
  • pathways
  • pharmacogenetics
  • surgicogenomics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

20 pages, 2574 KiB  
Review
Preclinical Parkinson’s Disease Models for Non-Motor Symptoms: Research Recommendations from a Systematic Review
by Mariana Lara Zambetta, Elayne Borges Fernandes, Allison Kim, Thiago Luiz Russo and Anna Carolyna Gianlorenço
Life 2025, 15(7), 1034; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15071034 - 28 Jun 2025
Viewed by 213
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by motor impairments resulting from dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra. However, PD is increasingly recognized as a multisystem disorder, where non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, mood disturbances, sleep disorders, and [...] Read more.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by motor impairments resulting from dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra. However, PD is increasingly recognized as a multisystem disorder, where non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, mood disturbances, sleep disorders, and autonomic dysfunction significantly impact patients’ quality of life. These non-motor symptoms often exhibit poor responsiveness to traditional dopaminergic therapies, underscoring a critical gap in current treatment strategies. Our systematic review investigates established methods of PD induction in rodent models and evaluates the methodologies used to assess non-motor symptoms. The review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) and the Cochrane handbook. Thirty-two studies from 832 articles were included. The studies were characterized by MPTP, 6-OHDA, and rotenone. Our results indicate that there was considerable heterogeneity in behavioral and motor tests, which poses challenges for data comparability and highlights the lack of consensus regarding the most appropriate modeling strategies for specific PD-related behavioral outcomes. All three models demonstrated behavioral changes consistent with dopaminergic impairment when compared to control groups. MPTP-induced models showed significant non-motor deficits across various tests, except in social recognition and novelty-suppressed feeding. The 6-OHDA model consistently produced non-motor impairments, supporting its utility in replicating PD-like neurotoxicity. Rotenone-treated animals exhibited reduced social interaction, decreased sucrose preference, and increased immobility in behavioral assays, further supporting its validity. Overall, our findings indicate that these neurotoxin-based models are effective in reproducing non-motor symptoms of PD, though methodological heterogeneity highlights the need for greater standardization in future preclinical research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Parkinson’s Disease: From Molecular Basis to Therapy)
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14 pages, 2432 KiB  
Review
ANXA2 Protein and Its Role in Neurodegeneration Processes
by Suzanna A. Partevian, Petr A. Slominsky, Maria I. Shadrina and Anelya Kh. Alieva
Life 2025, 15(3), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15030402 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1160
Abstract
ANXA2 is a multifunctional member of the annexin protein family, implicated in vesicular transport, antioxidant defense, and actin remodeling. Its role in oncogenesis is actively investigated, notably in glioblastoma, astrocytoma, and breast cancer. However, a growing body of literature explores ANXA2’s involvement in [...] Read more.
ANXA2 is a multifunctional member of the annexin protein family, implicated in vesicular transport, antioxidant defense, and actin remodeling. Its role in oncogenesis is actively investigated, notably in glioblastoma, astrocytoma, and breast cancer. However, a growing body of literature explores ANXA2’s involvement in neurodegenerative processes. The evidence suggests a potential contribution of ANXA2 to the pathogenesis of primary and secondary tauopathies, as well as Parkinson’s disease. It is crucial to note that the majority of these findings are correlative and necessitate further experimental validation. This review therefore presents a comprehensive analysis of data pertaining to ANXA2’s involvement in various cellular processes, the disruption of which contributes to neurological pathologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Parkinson’s Disease: From Molecular Basis to Therapy)
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23 pages, 4363 KiB  
Review
The Role of the Claustrum in Parkinson’s Disease and Vascular Parkinsonism: A Matter of Network?
by Marialuisa Zedde, Rocco Quatrale, Gianni Cossu, Massimo Del Sette and Rosario Pascarella
Life 2025, 15(2), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15020180 - 26 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1179
Abstract
Background: The mechanisms underlying extrapyramidal disorders and their anatomical substrate have been extensively investigated. Recently, the role of the claustrum in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions has been better detailed. The main aim of this review was to summarize the supporting evidence [...] Read more.
Background: The mechanisms underlying extrapyramidal disorders and their anatomical substrate have been extensively investigated. Recently, the role of the claustrum in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions has been better detailed. The main aim of this review was to summarize the supporting evidence for the role of the claustrum in degenerative and vascular parkinsonism. Methods: The anatomy, biology, vascular supply, and connections of the claustrum in humans were identified and described, providing the substrate for the vascular involvement of the claustrum in large- and small-vessel disease. The vascular supply of the claustrum includes up to three different sources from a single artery, the middle cerebral artery, and it is known as territory with an intermediate hemodynamic risk. The connections of the claustrum make it a sensory integrator and a relevant point in several networks, from consciousness to movement planning. Conclusions: The claustrum is still an incompletely explained structure. However, recent description of its multiple connections indicate that it is involved in several diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. The evidence underlying its potential role in vascular parkinsonism is still scarce, but it might be a field warranting future investigations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Parkinson’s Disease: From Molecular Basis to Therapy)
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