NEW YORK: A review of existing evidence makes the case that the innate immune system may be involved in neurodegenerative conditions, which are associated with progressive damage to brain cells, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. However, no new evidence was provided.
The innate immune system is designed to prevent the spread of infection by identifying foreign bodies such as viruses that may have infected cells and, if needs be, killing these cells so the infection doesn’t spread.
The review argues that the innate immune system initially activates to eliminate a perceived threat of brain cell abnormality. But by remaining active over time, it causes low-level prolonged damage to normal brain cells, ultimately leading to their death…