ADVANCEMENT IN ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN PROTEOMICS: EXPLORING ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES AND THEIR CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, affecting around 500,000 to 1 million Americans, with a significant portion diagnosed before age 50. Despite advances in treatments such as dopamine replacement therapy and deep brain stimulation, no therapies currently exist to halt or slow disease progression in advanced stages. Research is increasingly focused on identifying early biomarkers for PD to enable earlier intervention. Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn), a key protein implicated in PD pathology, is studied using various proteomics techniques like mass spectrometry, gel electrophoresis, and chromatography, to understand its role and alterations in PD. These techniques help in extracting, analyzing, and characterizing α-Syn from brain samples, providing insights into disease mechanisms and potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications.