Comparison of the behavioural and histological characteristics of the 6-OHDA and α-synuclein rat models of Parkinson's disease

► The 6-OHDA and the AAV-α-syn models of PD have distinct characteristics. ► This difference in disease progression reflects the nature of the toxic insult. ► Behavioural deficit results from the combination of cell loss and axonopathy in the AAV-α-syn model. ► The AAV-α-syn model is adequate for delayed therapeutic interventions. ► AAV-α-syn model replicates more closely the human pathology.