PINK1 and Parkinsonism: A clear genetic link between mitochondria and PD was defined by our identification of loss-of-function mutations in the mitochondrial protein PINK1 as the cause of autosomal recessive early-onset PARK6-linked Parkinsonism, a variant of PD with particularly early onset and mild progression that affects the autonomic and cognitive nervous system less than sporadic PD [1], [2].