Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a clinically prevalent neurodegenerative
disorder mainly affecting the elderly, characterized by loss of dopamine
neurons in the substantia nigra. Its main clinical manifestations are
motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, and
postural gait disturbances. Given the complexity and multisystem effects
of PD, the exact cause is yet to be elucidated. But multiple mechanisms
have been shown to be associated with the pathophysiology of PD, such as
the accumulation of α-synuclein, oxidative stress, abnormal apoptosis,
and neuroinflammation. MicroRNA (miRNA) is a non-coding single-stranded
RNA molecule encoded by endogenous genes. Over the past decade, many
studies have reported that miRNA functions in a series of important
processes in life process. Moreover, numerous experiments in animal
models and clinical investigations have identified miRNA dysregulation
in PD and demonstrated that miRNAs play an important role in the
development of PD through different pathways. This paper reviews some
important miRNAs involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease.