Interestingly, the alpha synuclein (SNCA) gene, which has been implicated in Parkinson's disease pathology, and found to be highly upregulated in surviving neurons, has recently been shown to act in pro-survival processes (i.e., SNCA acts as a molecular chaperone in synapses and protects against oxidative stress) [30]. This evidence concerns the gene SNCA and Parkinson disease.