Takeaway
Total α-synuclein in cerebrospinal fluid cannot reliably discriminate healthy people from those with Parkinson’s disease.
Why this matters
Studying the distribution of α-synuclein across the central and peripheral nervous system in people with Parkinson’s disease furthers our knowledge of the pathophysiology of this disease. The findings suggest that total cerebrospinal fluid α-synuclein is not an accurate marker for Parkinson’s disease, while α-synuclein immunoreactivity in several peripheral tissues is specific for Parkinson’s disease, but not sensitive enough for clinical use.