Abstract: A method of treating Parkinson's Disease in patients exhibiting increasing resistance to the administration of L-dopa due to loss of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylic activity in striatal neurons comprises transfection of the caudate and/or putamen regions with a viral vector encoding AADC. The vector preferably has a promoter system provided for the expression of the AADC nucleic acid, and is injected at a slow rate, at a level designed to restore AADC activity to tissues undergoing progressive loss of that activity. The AADC renewed activity permits conversion of L-dopa, in the brain, to dopamine.

Abstract: Disclosed are serotype-specific recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors, as well as viral particles and compositions comprising them, useful in the expression of neurotherapeutic agents (including neurotherapeutic peptides and polypeptides) in selected mammalian neural cells, as well as tissues and organ systems comprising them. In particular embodiments, rAAV serotype 1 and serotype 5 vectors are disclosed useful for the delivery of therapeutic agents to neural cells of affected mammals.