Parkinson’s is partly an autoimmune disease, new study states

Written by Lauren Pulling, Editor

A collaborative study published this week in Nature, led by scientists at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC; NY, USA) and La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (CA, USA), has found the first evidence that autoimmunity plays a role in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Demonstrating that T cells from PD patients recognize α-synuclein peptides, these findings raise the possibility that immune therapies could be effective against PD. “The idea that a malfunctioning immune system contributes to Parkinson’s dates back almost 100 years,” said study co-leader David Sulzer, CUMC. “But until now, no one has been able to connect the dots. Our...

To view this content, please register now for access

It's completely free