Cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF), also known as ARMET-like protein 1, is a protein encoded by the CDNF gene and it is widely expressed in neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. Mature mouse CDNF shares 80%, 87%, 83% and 82% aa identity with human, rat, equine and bovine CDNF. The cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) also is a novel neurotrophic factor with strong trophic activity on dopaminergic neurons comparable to that of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). By research, CDNF prevents the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and it might be beneficial for the treatment of parkinson’s disease.