Abstract
BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease; however, to date, there is no approved treatment that stops or slows down disease progression. Over the past decades, neuroimaging studies, including molecular imaging and MRI are trying to provide insights into the mechanisms underlying PD. METHODS: This work utilized a literature review. RESULTS: It is now becoming clear that these imaging modalities can provide biomarkers that can objectively detect brain changes related to PD and monitor these changes as the disease progresses, and these biomarkers are required to establish a breakthrough in neuroprotective or disease-modifying therapeutics. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we provide a review of recent observations deriving from PET, single-positron emission tomography, and MRI studies exploring PD and other parkinsonian disorders.