Gene therapy and the aging nervous system

In recent years, the first attempts have been made to apply gene transfer t echnology to protect neurons from death following neurological insults. The re has been sufficient progress in this area that it becomes plausible to c onsider similar gene therapy approaches meant to delay aspects of aging of the nervous system. In this review, we briefly consider such progress and h ow it might be applied to the realm of the aging brain. Specifically, we co nsider: (a) the means of delivery of such therapeutic genes; (b) the choice of such genes; and (c) technical elaborations in gene delivery systems whi ch can more tightly regulate the magnitude and duration of transgene protec tion. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.