Progress of translational research on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. Because of its high prevalence, severe disability and chronic course of disease, it has become one of the most important research focuses in modern medicine ranging from early diagnosis and treatment to prevention. During the period of Twelfth Five?Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, our team made use of previously established PD Clinical Databse and applying basic research platform, focused on clinical and basic development of PD, and further extended our investigation into the field of pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment in PD with characteristics of translational medicine. Several progresses have been made in a multiple of aspects: 1) a novel cellular mechanism of mitochondrial fission with the involvement of VPS35 gene, dysregulation of which might be involved in the pathogenesis of familial and sporadic PD. 2) The predictive value of autonomic  ysfunction and dopamine transporter (DAT) PET in identifying patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) with a high risk of progressing into neurodegenerative synucleinopathy diseases could form a basis for future disease - prevention trials. Additionally, we initiated the research on PD mortality rate and analyzed the common reasons of death, which added to the evidence of clinical prognosis and progression. 3) We issued the first, second and third versions of "Chinese guidelines for treatment of Parkinson's disease", as well as the "Diagnostic criteria of Parkinson's disease in China (2016 edition)", which could help improve the diagnostic ability and optimize the clinical treatment of PD in China.

DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2018.01.003