This newest research about asyn does not answer the question of whether those asyn clumps are good or bad, or whether they are cause or effect.

Since "normal" people have been found to have these clumps at autopsy, and some PWP have been found NOT to have them (latest read was about 30-35%, no small number even if you throw in some possible misdiagnosis)....what does this tell us? I don't know either.

To me, this "prion-like" theory seems to be the newest thing in PD research, and I think it's great we are looking at things other than just same-old, same-old dopamine... but I dont' know that it really answers all that many fundamental questions....such as:

why do these proteins misfold in the first place?
is the misfolding an attempt by the body to heal something, and if so, what?

I too read about the Alz. research where they got rid of the offensive protein placques and people got WORSE. Certainly not what the researchers expected.