Researchers at the University of Cincinnati and UC Davis reported a preclinical study of an experimental gene therapy for hydrocephalus, a condition involving excess fluid in the brain.
The treatment uses an adeno-associated virus to target some of the cells that produce cerebrospinal fluid. In adult animal models, the team found less excess fluid entering brain tissue outside the brain's ventricles.
The study, published in the journal Fluids and Barriers of the CNS, builds on earlier research into how cerebrospinal fluid can be regulated.
The work has only been tested in animals. The researchers say they still need to study safety and the treatment in larger animal models and human tissues before considering clinical trials.
Initial animal testing also found a moderate reduction in the brain's ability to produce new neurons when cerebrospinal fluid production was reduced. The researchers say possible downstream effects, including implications for memory, require further study and a risk-benefit analysis.
