Parkinson's Disease Autoimmunity Key Role in Neuronal Damage

It has been believed for over a 100 years that a dysfunctional immune system could be one of the factors causing Parkinson's disease. However, no clear role or probable mechanism has been demonstrated. Autoimmune attack of the dopamine neurons could contribute at least in part to Parkinson's disease (PD), according to a recent study undertaken by scientists at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology.