Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide: A Neuropeptide that Plays an Important Role in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is primarily characterized by rigidity and tremor, which are pathologically associated with α -synuclein aggregation, especially in dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. As it is a multi-factorial disease, there are currently no effective treatments but only mitigative therapies. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a 28-amino acid neurotransmitter, is widely distributed in both the central and peripheral nervous system with a broad biological effect. Studies have shown that VIP exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic effects and regulates glial cells and immune cells to protect and repair nerve cells. This article reviews the research progress of VIP as a brain-gut peptide in the treatment of PD and possible future research directions.