Midbrain gene therapy ‘beneficial’ in rare genetic disease
The approach has been trialled in seven children with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency

Gene therapy appears to be safe and leads to improvement in children with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, a small study suggests.
The rare genetic disease presents in early infancy and causes severe developmental disability and lifelong motor, behavioural, and autonomic symptoms including oculogyric crises, sleep disorders, and mood disturbances.