Is Alzheimer’s an Autoimmune Disease?

For decades, researchers have debated the role of brain inflammation in Alzheimer's. The beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles have been the disease's markers, but recent evidence shows that brain inflammation may be responsible for Alzheimer's. The question remains: Is Alzheimer's an Autoimmune disease?

What Is an Autoimmune Disease?

Your immune system is designed to protect the body against infections and disease. When you’re immunocompromised, the immune system can't tell the difference between your cells and foreign cells.

Rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes are all examples of autoimmune diseases. The symptoms can be severe in some people and mild in others and are most likely caused by several factors such as heredity, environment, and personal health.

Could Alzheimer’s Disease Be an Autoimmune Issue?

Most research on Alzheimer's disease is based on plaque buildup, and the immune system was not given much thought. Recent studies have proposed a new link between autoimmune markers and Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists examined the cerebrospinal fluid of two groups. The first set of individuals were mostly healthy but suffered from headaches, while the second group contained people who suffered from Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Results from the study showed that those with Alzheimer's disease had numerous distinct autoantibodies targeting brain proteins in their cerebrospinal fluid.

The autoantibodies targeting brain proteins were exclusively found in Alzheimer's patients. Individuals with Parkinson's disease or general headaches did not have autoantibodies that appeared to target specific brain proteins. To conclude the study, the researchers theorized that the autoantibodies can get to the brain tissue, cause inflammation, and speed up the destruction of specific brain cells.