[Heterogeneity of Parkinson's disease]

Parkinson's disease was, until recently, a unique disease. The discovery of several genetic factors has emphasized the heterogeneity of the disease. Analyse of structure and function of these gene products points to their critical role in dopaminergic neurons death and pathophysiology of parkinson's disease. In the mean time the clinical constellation of parkinsonian syndromes have been lumped into "synucleinopathies" and "taupathies" that both share common pathologic lesions. It is likely that clarification of the combined genetic and environmental factors undelying these various disorders will lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.