Gene therapy is a new and unproven treatment for Parkinson's disease, a disorder that can be physically and mentally debilitating. A 55 year old man in New York is the first to undergo this procedure.

The gene therapy's goal is to 're-set' a specific group of cells that have become overactive in an affected part of the brain. 11 more patients will undergo the procedure in this pilot study, and scientists hope to try a similar procedure for Alzheimer's disease. Read more: Parkinson's disease: first gene therapy patient brings hope