How to control synaptic autophagy from the neuronal soma

Abstract

Autophagy dysregulation at the neural synapse is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease and has diverse molecular origins. New research in The EMBO Journal investigates the role of Drosophila Rab39, and uncovers a system for compartmentalized regulation of synaptic autophagy, with implications for our understanding of dysregulated synaptic proteostasis as observed in neurodegenerative diseases.