Iron accumulation in Parkinson's disease

Although the exact cause of Parkinson's disease (PD) is still unknown, recent interest has been focused on the role of iron in the nigral cell death in PD. Several studies have shown that a selective and significant elevation in iron occurs in the substantia nigra of patients with PD. However, the mechanisms involved in iron accumulation also remain unclear. In this article, we describe recent findings regarding the mechanisms and potential toxic effects of iron accumulation in hereditary and sporadic PD and animal models of PD, including our genetic mouse model of PD. The review provides an opportunity to revisit the possible roles of iron accumulation in the pathogenic cascade(s) of PD.