'Rekindle interest'
They suggest, for example, that medication could one day be developed to help reduce the energy requirement of cells or increase their energy efficiency.
Dr Arthur Roach, at the charity Parkinson's UK, said:"Out of the billions of cells in the brain, it is always the same small group that degenerate and die in Parkinson's. We don't know why only these cells are affected.
"This study provides strong support to the idea that it is the unique structure and function of these cells that makes them especially susceptible to a damaging process called oxidative stress.
"We hope that this study will rekindle interest in the approach, and even lead to new treatments based on the most up-to-date ideas about oxidative stress.