The role of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease, like many common age-related conditions, is now recognized to have a substantial genetic component. Here, I discuss how mutations in a large complex gene--leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2)--affect protein function, and I review recent evidence that LRRK2 mutations affect pathways that involve other proteins that have been implicated in Parkinson's disease, specifically α-synuclein and tau. These concepts can be used to understand disease processes and to develop therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]