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LONDON a major breakthrough in gene therapy, the technique has been used for the first time to successfully treat a degenerative brain disease. In a pioneering U. S. study, researchers used the treatment to bring about significant improvements in the mobility of Parkinson's sufferers.
They said it could also herald a breakthrough in the treatment of other neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's or epilepsy.
The 12 patients involved in the study - a world- first human gene therapy trial for a brain disease - all reported a substantial reduction in their symptoms after having a human gene injected directly into their brains....

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what we said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

Reports on the early stages of new therapies often present too optimistic a picture and this story does have some elements of this trait especially where it quotes a patient as saying that the treatment saved his life. However, the story also does include cautionary elements.

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