To determine whether mutations in the coding region of the alpha-synuclein gene are relevant in cases of multiple system atrophy (MSA), detailed nucleotide sequence analysis of the alpha-synuclein gene was performed using total RNA obtained from autopsied brain specimens of 11 pathologically confirmed cases of MSA. The brain specimens used in this study contained both gray and white matter, which were dissected from the frontal, temporal or occipital lobe. No nucleotide alterations were found in the entire coding region of the alpha-synuclein gene in any of the cases. While mutations In the regulatory or intronic regions of the gene were not ruled out, our results suggest that mutations in the coding region of the alpha-synuclein gene are unlikely to contribute to the pathogenesis of MSA. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science ireland ltd. All rights reserved.