Gene therapy is a new hope for treating Parkinson’s disease and alcoholism.
A team of scientists from the Oregon Health and Science University has revealed that alcohol abuse disorders can be treated with gene therapy, The Guardian reports.
What is gene therapy?
Gene therapy involves altering a patient’s genetic material to treat or prevent conditions. Researchers have identified that the same technique used to treat Parkinson’s disease can be adapted to reduce alcohol dependence.
In this therapy, specific molecules that stimulate cell growth are used to “reset” the brain’s dopamine reward pathways. This leads to the reduction of the brain’s reward center associated with alcohol consumption, reports TVR.
Gene therapy requires brain surgery, but promising results in non-human primates fuel hopes that the technique could be effective in humans as well.
2023-08-29 08:35:53
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