If this is the case, a sufficient dopamine supply would ensure that microglia remain under control, but as dopamine is gradually siphoned from the neurons by microglial demand, NLRP3 inflammasome activation and Kv1.3 activity would progressively intensify to promote each of the three major facets of PD pathology: α-synuclein aggregation, microglia-mediated neuroinflammation, and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. The gene discussed is SNCA; the disease is Parkinson disease.