PARK7 and Parkinson disease: The finding that the decrease in distal neurites and the PD-related reduction were specific to the PLA signal and not correlated with mitochondrial DJ-1 levels suggests that DJ-1, in modulating metabolic efficiency, may play a prominent role in mitigating the differential vulnerability of mesDA neurons and PD pathogenesis in addition to its known functions in the oxidative stress response and mitochondrial quality control.