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For the estimated 1 million Americans with Parkinson's disease, the Mexican research offers new hope. "If these results turn out to be valid and replicable, this would be a major advance," says Neuroscientist William Freed of the National Institute of Mental Health. Current treatments for Parkinson's are far from ideal. Levodopa, which is chemically related to dopamine, can cause irregular heartbeats, paranoia and depression, and ceases to be effective after prolonged use. Freed and others are eager to see if the new technique will work in older patients (most Parkinson's victims are over 50), and if its benefits will last. If so, says Freed, "the procedure could eventually have implications for treating other neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases."