Taken together, RNASeq and targeted confirmatory ddPCR identified consistent downregulation in the SNpc in response to early synucleinopathy and validated the downregulation of WGCNA identified “hub genes” Cplx2, Slc6a3, and Rgs8. However, these methods did not determine the cells in the SNpc where these transcriptional changes occur. The gene discussed is CPLX2; the disease is synucleinopathy.