[Neuropathology and pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease: Focus on α-synuclein].

The past 20 years has witnessed tremendous progress in our understanding of Parkinson's disease. It is now well established that α-synuclein, a presynaptic neuronal protein, is not only a marker but also an actor of the disease. In this review, we discuss the advances that have been obtained in neuropathology using α-synuclein immunohistochemistry and the role of this protein in the spread of the disease.