Models of Parkinson's Disease with Special Emphasis on Drosophila melanogaster

Background & Objective: Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting more than 1% of the population averaged 60 years of age. The majority of PD cases are sporadic and are probably caused by a combination of risk factors but 5-10% of the PD cases are familial. Due to the high degree of the gene, conservation in humans, mice and insects using an animal model system is a valuable approach to further elucidate the roles of the genes in PD. Conclusion: The present review highlights the models used to study PD symptoms with special emphasis on Drosophila.