RESEARCH PAPER
Gene Editing Strategies for Neurological and Mental Disorders: Advances in Delivery, Methodology, and Clinical Translation.
AI Summary
A broad review of genome-editing tools (CRISPR/Cas, base and prime editing) and CNS delivery strategies that highlights clinical translation progress including Parkinson's disease but offers limited PD-specific mechanistic or therapeutic detail.
Why It Matters
Useful as an overview for PD researchers of enabling technologies and delivery approaches relevant for durable neuronal gene therapies, informing platform choices though not prescribing concrete PD targets or biomarkers.
Abstract
Neurological and mental disorders are among the main causes of disability worldwide, affecting over three billion people and increasing the socioeconomic burden. Advances in molecular genetics and genome engineering have led to gene-targeted therapies that address root causes rather than just symptoms. This review covers current genome-editing tools, including CRISPR/Cas, base editing, and prime editing. The focus is on the benefits of gene editing in the central nervous system, where post-mitotic neurons allow lasting effects after a single treatment. It also discusses emerging delivery platforms such as viral vectors, nanoparticles, and exosome systems, as well as methods to bypass the blood-brain barrier. Recent clinical progress in spinal muscular atrophy, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and Alzheimer's disease is highlighted, with promising preclinical results for autism, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, and other neurogenetic conditions. The review concludes with regulatory issues, market trends, and ongoing clinical trials, underscoring the potential of gene therapies to transform disease management and provide long-term solutions.