I envision a future where humankind has figured out what the best way to be human is. Food for all, no such thing as the tremendous stress that most of us have been burdened with over a lifetime in order to survive a hostile productivity economy, just to provide the basics to a modest, decent lifestyle.
In order to do this we must first get our population under control, and clean up our nest; then we must make every life worth living to the holder of that life. So maybe research on certain diseases is not a priority to governments which must provide the best for the most right now. But if you have an illness today, in our society as it is; and it's not going to grant you the mercy of a quick death with life insurance for your dependents, and you are just not into getting rid of yourself; cures for chronic diseases should be right up there on societies priority list. I'll never understand why a billion dollar "next generation" military aircraft takes preference to our leaders, than longer term goals of guaranteeing the future of lives well lived for the generations to follow.
Sure us PWP are screaming pretty loud now for some help, simply because we have one of those tragic diseases where we don't die right away, but slowly erode with pain and indignity to the point of very little reason to remain alive. All I want is to be able to walk, to be pain and dyskinesia free, to be free to work and take care of my own, not watch my disease take away everything that I have done in life, while I cant do one damn thing about it. That's why a cure for PD and all other major horrible diseases of humankind should be a priority in our society. WE cant prevent 200,000 deaths due to natural disasters, but if we can save 200,000 lives from a living hell on earth, then we SHOULD.
Thinking more and more about the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine, and other "instant" "parkinsonizers". If we indeed do have an enzyme that 6-hydroxylates dopamine than that's a no-brainer to figuring out the mechanism for PD. Next what is so special about MPTP that it causes instant PD? All eyes should be on a putative neurotoxin produced in the body by enzyme mutations. Anybody know what the status is on this idea?