Similar mitochondrial hyperactivity was recently reported in Dictyostelium cells overexpressing the wild type or PD-associated mutant forms of α-synuclein [58], in cultured human neuroblastoma cells treated with exogeneous α-synuclein [59], in lymphoblasts from idiopathic PD patients [28] and in fibroblasts from genetic PD patients with Parkin mutations [29]. The gene discussed is SNCA; the disease is Parkinson disease.