The dopaminergic nigrostriatal system and Parkinson's disease: molecular events in development, disease, and cell death, and new therapeutic strategies.

For several decades, the clinical study of Parkinson's disease has driven an increasingly sophisticated understanding of the dopaminergic system and its complex role in modulating motor behavior. This article reviews salient areas of research in this field, commencing with the molecular biology of the development of the mesencephalic dopaminergic system. We then discuss events thought to be crucial in the cellular and molecular pathology of Parkinson's disease, proposed mechanisms of cell death, and relevant toxin models. These advancements are used as a template to review emerging therapeutic techniques, including neuroprotection strategies, surgical treatment of trophic factors, gene therapy, and neural transplantation.