Parkinson's disease was first discovered by English doctor James Parkinson in 1817 to whom it was named after. Until now no cure has yet been known to exist. The form or method of treatment for PD at present is only to control the symptoms not eradicate it. In most cases medication is done by increasing the level of dopamine in the brain. Some popular personalities who have been known to contract PD are the late Pope John Paul II, Muhammad Ali, Hitler, Michael J. Fox and boxing trainer Freddie Roach.
In 2010, optogenetics was selected as the Method of the Year across all fields of science and engineering by the interdisciplinary research Journal Nature Methods. The scientific research journal Science at the same time highlighted the new technology in its article " Breakthroughs of the Decade"
The technique behind optogenetics is that it works by inserting a virus on certain nerve cells of the brain to make them light- sensitive. By stimulating those cells with a laser, the neuro surgeon could control the activity of specific nerve circuits with millisecond precision and study the effects. This deep brain stimulation procedure could result in better treatment of Parkinson's disease and other symptoms.
