Could early-stage Parkinson’s disease be linked to α-synuclein-specific T-cell reactivity?

Scientists have investigated the relationship between α-synuclein T-cell reactivity and Parkinson’s disease. Their study, which has been published in Nature Communications, has indicated that elevated levels of α-synuclein-specific T-cell responses could be detected prior to the diagnosis of motor Parkinson’s disease, with levels decreasing later in the disease course. In a previously published study, researchers were able to determine that α-synuclein could act as a beacon for specific T cells, causing them to mistakenly attack brain cells and potentially contribute to the progression of Parkinson’s. This recent study, however, aimed to determine the timeline of T-cell reactivity and disease progression....