DOPAL

DOPAL is an aldehyde product of the oxidative deamination of dopamine by monoamine oxidase.[1] It can be further oxidized to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and, to a lesser extent reduced to 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl ethanol (DOPET) . DOPAL is toxic to neurons.[2], [3] It can also oligomerize and precipitate α-synuclein, an event associated with Parkinson's disease.[2] Mice lacking cytosolic and mitochondrial forms of ALDH display increased levels of DOPAL as well as neurodegeneration and motor dysfunction characteristic of Parkinson's disease.[4]