Parkinson Disease: Pathophysiology and Histopathological Overview

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is distinguished by bradykinesia, stiffness, postural instability, and tremor. The syndrome can be caused by several pathological processes, but the characteristic pathological feature of Parkinson's disease is neurodegeneration accompanied by the presence of α-synuclein neuronal aggregates known as Lewy bodies. LBs and Lewy neurites are insoluble accumulations composed mainly of phosphorylated-synuclein, and they are distributed extensively in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. The distribution of Lewy bodies (LBs) may have a role in determining the phenotype of Lewy body dementia (LBD). Common misdiagnoses for ailments that are pathologically similar include Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, multiple system atrophy, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, cerebrovascular illnesses, and essential tremor. This study examines the progression of pathology in cases of accidental and symptomatic Parkinson's disease, proposing a staging technique that is based on the easily identifiable spatial distribution of the lesions.