XVIII WFN World Congress on Parkinson’s Disease and Related Disorders Synopsis

Several interesting concepts regarding Parkinson’s disease were recently presented at the XVIII World Congress on Parkinson’s disease. The theory of α-synuclein acting as a prion, resulting in the spread of Parkinson’s disease, was presented and related to the Braak hypothesis of neuropathology of Parkinson’s disease. Nonmotor symptomatology of Parkinson’s disease was presented and also related to the above. Research was emphasized at the meeting, and novel compounds thought to slow the progression of the disease were mentioned. Clinical research methodology designed to best prove an agent as disease modifying, and the merits of clinical research, were debated. Finally, treatment strategies for early Parkinson’s disease, as well as continuous dopamine stimulation, were presented. This article briefly discusses these concepts presented at this important meeting of the World Congress on Parkinson’s disease.