Very interesting....particularly since one of the culprits, according to the research, is dopamine itself. Here's the link:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-pnd042309.php

Thank you! Very interesting indeed. Hope to read the full paper soon. Abstract nicely connects most of the information we know as of now. Dopamine in the wrong place (mediated by Calcium channels?) interfers with alpha-synuclein (structure and function?) which in turn makes it resistant to Ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. This somehow leads to cell death. If this is the pathway to cell death, its easy to fit LARK 1 and Parkin in the picture. Mutations in Lark 1 and Parkin can be the triggers or enhancers of PD. A mutated alpha-syn may be more reactive to Dopamine and the mess created by this, is enhanced by mutations in Parkin (lack or decreased degradation of defective proteins)

I am just thinking aloud and trying to understand the mechanism!

Thanks again for posting!
Girija

http://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/...273(09)00166-4

full text