Gene Therapy for Parkinson's Disease

The Facts:

Parkinson's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain and nervous system. This means that it gets worse with time, and the parts of the body affected by Parkinson's disease slowly lose their ability to function properly. The symptoms of Parkinson's disease are vast, and include:

• Tremor
• Movement difficulties
• Skin problems
• Sleeping difficulties
• Poor coordination
• Mood swings
• Urinary problems
• Difficulty in writing

Some facts about Parkinson's disease:

1. In the USA there are between 500,000 and 1.5 million people with Parkinson's disease. This number is not precise since it is not contagious hence doctors need no report it.
2. The chances of getting Parkinson's disease increase with age
3. White people are most likely to get it
4. People who live in rural areas may be more likely to get it
5. More men get Parkinson's disease than women
6. If you smoke you may be less likely to get Parkinson's disease

What is Parkinson's Disease?

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the inability of some brain cells to produce dopamine. Without dopamine, you become unable to transmit information around your brain. This is why your ability to move becomes greatly affected. Despite this, nobody is sure exactly what causes Parkinson's disease. A variety of theories have been proposed but none have yet been proven.

Parkinson's is believed to be age dependent. The chances of you getting it increase after the age of 50 and then decrease again for those over 70.

It is known that Parkinson's is not a virus since you cannot catch it from another person. The most likely explanation is that there are a number of factors involved, including some genetic tendency towards the disease and some environmental stimulus. However, there is a long way to go before we can understand the exact nature of the problem.

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Existing Treatments: Current methods of treatment for Parkinson's can only ease the symptoms since there is no known cure for the disease. A balanced diet is considered important, particularly as the disease progresses, and it is beneficial to have a well-balanced diet low in saturated fats and high in fruits and vegetables. Exercise may also help. At present, there are a range of medications available to ease the symptoms, and in severe cases surgical techniques have been used with some success. However, a significant breakthrough needs to be made in order to be able to treat this disease fully, and gene therapy may present the solution.

The Role of Gene Therapy:

The main approach of gene therapy treatment for Parkinson's does not simply involve injecting a gene capable of producing dopamine. While it is dopamine which is noticeably lacking in sufferers of Parkinson's, this method would make no compensation for the fact that brain cells are still being executed. Instead, it would appear that a cocktail of different gene therapy techniques is required.

Even "The Greatest," Muhammed Ali has been rocked by Parkinson's disease

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A combination of genes which look to prevent the killing of the nerve cells in the area of the brain known as the substantia nigra, coupled with transfer of growth factors which help to regenerate the destroyed neurons, should help prevent the progression of Parkinson's disease. Indeed, in animal models this system has induced a significant improvement in the condition of animals suffering from the disease. However, it remains to be seen whether the step up to human subjects can be made since it is not known how similar animal versions of Parkinson's are to our own.

Conclusions:

The successful treatment of Parkinson's disease by gene therapy looks increasingly more likely with some of the most recent developments. However, the fact that cocktails of gene therapy are required will complicate matters, meaning that it could be some time before we find a solution. However, if the success on animal models can be achieved in humans, then a cure would not be too far away.