PINK1 and Parkinson disease: Given that PD is a global nervous system disorder with degeneration throughout the central nervous system (Braak et al., 2006; Langston, 2006), it is possible that PINK1 dysfunction affects various brain regions but neuronal cells in the substantia nigra may be more vulnerable, which could be related to the high level of PINK1 and its selective phosphorylation of cell-type specific proteins in this particular brain region.