[Cell transplantation and gene therapy in Parkinson disease]

In 1995 the Anders Jahre Prize for medical research was shared by Professor Lars Olson, Stockholm (Nord Med 1/96), and Professor Anders Björklund, Lund. Using newly developed methods, Anders Björklund has mapped important parts of the central nervous system and neurotransmitters in the brain. Björklund and co-workers have therapeutically transplanted neurones to parts of the brain that, owing to disease or injury, are deficient in essential neurotransmitters. During recent years, the transplantation of fetal nerve cells has been introduced as a possible new therapeutic procedure in Parkinson's disease. Although promising results have been obtained in clinical trials both in Europe and North America, the technique needs further improvement to enhance cell survival, effectiveness and reproducibility. Moreover, an essential long-term goal is to eliminate dependence on a continuous supply of fetal tissue, which is both ethically and practically problematic. Current research is focused on ways to promote the survival and growth of grafted cells, and on the use of gene transfer procedures to generate alternative dopamine-producing of trophic factor-producing cells.