Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41515977›Full record

SynthesisInternational journal of molecular sciences2025

Cutaneous α-Synuclein and Age Spots in Neurodegeneration: A Systematic Review and Testable Hypothesis.

Arianna Di Stadio, Pietro De Luca, Beatrice Francavilla, Massimo Ralli, Stefano Di Girolamo, Iole Indovina, Giulia Ciccarese, Laura Dipietro

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal of molecular sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Arianna Di StadioLife and Health Science Department, Link University, 00165 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5510-3814
Pietro De LucaIRCCS Santa Lucia, Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00179 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-6505-1680
Beatrice FrancavillaOtolaryngology Department, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Massimo RalliUNICAMILLUS, International Medical University, 00131 Rome, Italy.
Stefano Di GirolamoOtolaryngology Department, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Iole IndovinaIRCCS Santa Lucia, Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00179 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-1183-0013
Giulia CiccareseDermatology Department, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8363-0195
Laura DipietroHighland Instruments, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02238, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Recent studies have identified phosphorylated α-synuclein in the skin of individuals with neurodegenerative disease. The levels of this protein in the skin have been correlated with disease severity. This protein has been specifically studied in alpha-synucleinopathies such as Parkinsons' Disease (PD) and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). Given that skin biopsy studies have often shown high levels of phosphorylated α-synuclein in the neck area, and that other clinical studies have described easily identifiable changes in facial skin features, this systematic review explores whether age spots, which are very common in sun-exposed areas (hands and face), could serve as early indicators of neurodegenerative disease. We performed a systematic review of the literature in three databases (Google, Scopus and Pubmed) following PRISMA guidelines. We used the following keywords: "alpha-synuclein and skin", "alpha-synuclein and skin spots", "alpha-synuclein and solar lentigo", "alpha-synuclein and age spots", "alpha-synuclein and melanocytes", "skin biopsy and synucleinopathies", "skin biopsy and neurodegenerative disease", and "Parkinson's Disease. Eleven studies were identified and included. Based on the study results and preliminary evidence in the literature evaluating the effect of α-synuclein on keratinocytes and melanocytes, we propose that the accumulation of this protein within the skin may produce visible alterations that can be quantified to enable early, noninvasive detection of neurodegenerative disease.

Indexed as

alpha-SynucleinNeurodegenerative DiseasesSkinHumansKeratinocytesMelanocytesParkinson Diseasealpha-Synucleinage spotsalpha-synucleinneurodegenerationneuroinflammationParkinson’s Diseasephosphorylated alpha synucleinskin

Identifiers

PMID41515977
PMCPMC12786030

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.