Fig. 4: Interactions of α-syn accumulation with Parkinson’s Disease depression (PDD) molecular pathology culminating in disease exacerbation.
From: α-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease: a central point of convergence with depression
Aggregation of α-syn worsens depressive symptoms in PD, while depression in turn promotes α-syn aggregation. Dysregulated HPA axis, dopaminergic dysfunction, mitochondrial impairment, loss of trophic support, and neuroinflammation converge to drive both α-syn accumulation and the molecular pathology of PDD. Collectively, these processes exacerbate PD, positioning α-syn as a convergent point between depression and PD. Figure created in BioRender. Phansupkar, A. (2025) https://BioRender.com/6btekql.
