PINK1 parkinsonism and Parkinson disease: Distinguishable brain mitochondrial function and metabolomics

Mutations in the PINK1 gene are associated with early onset autosomal recessive parkinsonism (EOP), which is characterized by a phenotypic presentation that, although variable, generally overlaps with that of idiopathic Parkinson Disease (PD).The clinical features and brain metabolomics of a patient who was compound heterozygous for the novel association of PINK1 A168P/W437X mutations have been extensively characterized.Apart from a few typical EOP findings, the clinical features and SPECT mostly overlapped with typical idiopathic PD.Brain metabolomics, as examined by magnetic resonance spectroscopy and PET, were clearly distinguishable.