Neuromelanin and Parkinson’s disease

Neuromelanin is a macromolecule that naturally accumulates in human catecholamine neurons in pigmented granules and is composed mainly of electron dense eumelanin and pheomelanin. 

The pigment granules in dopamine and noradrenaline neurons have significant differences in their development, chemical composition and maturation, and are associated with different structures.

Neuromelanin lipid droplets seem to be reservoirs of lipids for local glycosylation required for effective dopamine transporter function and stability with age.

Specific chemical and structural changes to neuromelanin occur in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) that lead to inclusion formation and selective neurodegeneration, findings replicated in neuromelanin-producing models of PD.

https://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/fulltext/S0166-2236(25)00080-3

https://sciencemission.com/Neuromelanin-and-Parkinson%E2%80%99s-disease