Breakthrough treatment restores partial vision in man blind for 40 years 40

Scientists have successfully restored partial vision to a blind patient for the first time, thanks to the application of Optogenetics, an optical genetic technique that has been developed over the past 20 years. This is considered a breakthrough achievement in neuroscience.

Part of this 58-year-old male patient’s vision has been restored, allowing him to recognize, count, locate and touch various objects displayed on the table in front of him. (Photo: New York Times) According to research results published on May 24, scientists in Europe and the US have applied optical genetic engineering to treat a patient who lost vision due to an inherited disease of photoreceptors. 40 years ago. This involves injecting them directly into the patient’s eye, combined with stimulation for several months by wearing light-emitting glasses, which convert images into pulses of light printed onto the retina. A 58-year-old blind man was able to partially restore vision in one eye with the help of a breakthrough treatment using genetic engineering and light-activated therapy. The patient, who lives in France, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a degenerative eye disease that affects the retina at the back of the eye and causes it to stop working, almost 40 years ago. year. However, several months after the treatment, he was able to recognize, count, locate and touch various objects with the treated eye while wearing a pair of light-stimulating glasses. The researchers say that although their findings, published in the journal Nature Medicine, are still in the early stages, their work could be seen as a stepping stone to targeted treatments. new target for people with RP (RP – a condition in which the cells in the retina that receive light are disrupted, which can lead to total blindness). It is the most common inherited eye condition, affecting around 1 in 4,000 people in the UK. The researchers used a technique, called photogenetics, to genetically alter cells in the retina so that they produce light-sensitive proteins called channelrhodopsin. The treatment, which is done by injecting an eye into one eye, activates the gene that codes for a channelrhodopsin protein called ChrimsonR, which senses amber light. The team also developed specialized goggles equipped with a camera to capture and project visual images onto the retina at amber wavelengths of light. The patient then trained for several months as the genetically engineered cells began to stabilize. Seven months later, the patient began to show signs of improvement in vision, the researchers said. The team also said their patients were “excited” after this first experience of partial vision. With the aid of the light-stimulating glasses, the patient was able to locate, recognize, touch and count objects such as notebooks, pin boxes and glasses on a white table in front of him. The researchers also read the patients’ brain activity using a technique known as an electroencephalogram. A tortoise is alternately raised or removed from the table, and the patient must press a button to indicate whether it is there or not. The results from the experiments show that patients can recognize with 78% accuracy. Although this type of optical genetic therapy may be beneficial in restoring visual function in people with RP-related blindness, more results from this trial are needed, the researchers say. clearer picture of the safety and effectiveness of this approach. José-Alain Sahel, lead author of the study from France’s Sorbonne University and the National Center for Scientific Research, said: “It is important that blind patients suffer from various types of neurodegenerative diseases. and functional optic nerve would likely qualify for treatment. However, the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the extent of the patient’s optic nerve degeneration. He said it will take more time to study this method before it can be put into practice. Quynh Hoa According to The Irish Times