TARGETS FOR GENE-THERAPY OF PARKINSONS-DISEASE - GROWTH-FACTORS, SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION, AND PROMOTERS

Parkinson's disease gene therapy is in its infancy. All studies to dat e have been in experimental animals and there are no clinical protocol s currently approved, Several non-human primate studies however, have been completed and preliminary data appear promising. When dealing wit h a complex acquired disorder of unknown etiology, gene therapy is Lik ely to provide symptomatic and palliative relief at best and will not be curative. However, if a gene therapy approach has advantages ill te rms of the risk/benefit ratio, cost and efficacy over current treatmen ts, then it should be brought to clinical trial. This article discusse s some future directions and areas of intense investigation at present . The advances in the field over the past five years have been tremend ous and it appears possible that before the year 2000, clinical gene t herapy trials in Parkinson's disease will be ongoing. (C) 1997 Academi c Press.