Gene therapy to the rescue in Parkinsons's disease

Over a century ago, an influenza epidemic caused widespread parkinsonism; t hus, it seems ironic th at viral vectors mig ht provide a new therapy for p atients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, a recent study presents a s eries of elegant experiments that demonstrate the restorative and protectiv e effects of a glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), delivere d by lentiviral vectors, in the brains of both old and parkinsonian primate s. These techniques might hold promise for PD and of her neurodegenerative disorders.