Howard C. Kanowitz & Mark Polizzi 
Alpha-Synuclein 
Functional Mechanisms, Structure and Role in Parkinson’s Disease

Alpha-synuclein is a synuclein protein of unknown function primarily found in neural tissue, making up as much as 1% of all proteins in the cytosol. It is predominantly expressed in the neocortex, hippocampus, substantia nigra, thalamus, and cerebellum. In this book, the authors discuss the functional mechanisms, structure and role in Parkinson’s disease of alpha-synuclein. Topics include a-synuclein accumulation in Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy; a-synuclein metabolism and aggregation in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease; and the potential role of a-synuclein dysregulation in Parkinson’s disease pathology.