The protein alpha-synuclein accumulates in the brain of patients with sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD), and increased gene dosage causes a severe, dominantly inherited form of PD, but we know little about the effects of synuclein that precede degeneration. alpha-Synuclein localizes to the nerve terminal, but the knockout has little if any effect on synaptic transmission.
Previous studies have shown altered synuclein, increased oxidative stress damage and increased oxidative stress responses in patients with sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) without cognitive impairment.