Catastrophic cliffs: a partial suggestion for selective vulnerability in neurodegenerative diseases.

For each of the neurodegenerative syndromes, we now know many pathogenic and/or causative genetic risk loci. Here, I suggest that this wealth of knowledge now allows us to start to understand what are the specific vulnerabilities of different neuronal types and to suggest that each neuronal type is closer to different modes of catastrophic failure. I suggest that this is part of the basis for selective vulnerability in neurodegenerative disease.