Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder in the elderly. As the pathogenesis of PD is still not fully understood

medications with the capacity of halting the disease progression are currently unavailable. The discovery of genes that are causative for

or increase susceptibility to PD is pivotal for the development of novel therapeutic approaches

as they are critical for the onset of PD and the molecular pathways underlying its pathogenesis. By reviewing relevant data

we discuss causative genes

and those associated with PD susceptibility and quantitative traits. Through Gene Ontology database and STRING analysis

we emphasize the roles of inorganic cation transmembrane transport pathways and hypothalamic pituitary thyroid axis

in addition to the established roles of inflammation/oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of PD. It is hoped these insights 1) untangle the clinical complex presentations of PD

2) reveal the interwoven molecular network leading to PD

and 3) identify critical molecular targets to facilitate novel PD drug discovery

with a view to providing improved consultation and personalized medicine for patients with PD in the future.