Abstract: Alpha-synuclein and Parkinson’s disease: Neuronal damage and inflammation caused by the aggregation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) are central to a group of disorders known as synucleopathies, which includes Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy, among others. PD, the most common synucleinopathy, is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease, and it is the fastest growing. Its primary hallmark is the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, disrupting the communication with the striatum. This has adverse motor and nonmotor effects, with the most prominent symptoms being tremors, rigidity, instability, and gait difficulties. While most patients have a late onset (60+ years), certain dominant genetic mutations in the gene encoding α-syn are associated with earlier onset. Despite the severity and prevalence of the disease, no treatments that halt or modify the pathology progression exist, with available therapies providing only symptomatic relief for motor symptoms (Vázquez-Vélez and Zoghbi, 2021).