Mitochondrial damage is recognized as a central factor contributing to PD neuropathology, and loss of function mutations in tensin homolog (PTEN)-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and parkin, two proteins involved in the clearance of damaged mitochondria through mitophagy, are involved in the neuropathology of inherited PD (Kitada et al., 1998; Valente et al., 2004). Here, PRKN is linked to Parkinson disease.