Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein. Current treatments, including dopaminergic medications and deep brain stimulation (DBS), provide symptomatic relief but do not halt disease progression. Recent advances in molecular research have enabled the development of disease-modifying strategies targeting key pathogenic mechanisms, such as α-synuclein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and genetic mutations including LRRK2 and GBA1. In parallel, pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived dopaminergic neurons have emerged as a scalable and ethically viable source for cell replacement therapy. Early-phase clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and functional integration of these grafts. Ongoing research is now focused on enhancing graft purity, immune compatibility, and anatomical precision, including homotopic transplantation and circuit-level reconstruction. Together, these emerging strategies offer the potential to shift PD treatment paradigms by combining symptomatic control with long-term neural restoration. This review summarizes current therapeutic approaches and highlights recent advances in disease-modifying and regenerative interventions for PD.
Kim et al. (2025) studied this question.