VEGFA and Parkinson disease: In this study, we found that VEGF and its 73–101 fragment preserve mitochondrial function in neuronal-like cells by: (i) enhancing bioenergetic efficiency under physiological conditions evidenced by reduced LEAK respiration and increased ATP production; (ii) protecting against MPP+-induced toxicity in a PD-like model by sustaining cell viability and mitochondrial function; and (iii) potentially engaging the Erk signaling pathway and upregulating mitochondrial biogenesis regulators, as indicated by pathway analysis.