Role of individual structural and functional elements of myelin in Parkinson’s disease

Myelin is a highly specialized form of the plasma membrane. The gradual loss of myelin is typical for both age-related and pathological changes in the brain. In this review, we attempted to characterize the spectrum of genes which products are involved in the formation and functioning of CNS myelin, as well as to assess their possible contribution to the pathogenesis of PD. Analysis of currently published data obtained from model objects and patients with PD has identified several myelin protein genes that may be associated with the development of PD. The PLP1, MOBP, FA2H, and HSPA8 genes are the most promising for studying their contribution to the pathogenesis of PD.