Designing neuroprotection trials in Parkinson's disease.

A major goal of the neuroscience community is to develop neuroprotective treatment strategies that will slow or forestall the progression of Parkinson's disease, one of the most common adult-onset neurodegenerative disorders, affecting approximately 1 million people in North America. Although prior research to identify neuroprotective interventions has not been conclusive, recent advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, including the development of relevant animal models, provide the opportunity for rational clinical trials to assess neuroprotective treatments.