New research by the United States Neurogenetic Research Consortium reveals that Parkinson's disease could have an infectious or autoimmune origin. The key lies in variations in the genes of the HLA region , related to the function of the immune system in humans. As explained by the authors, this region is essential for recognizing "external invaders." In the same way, HLA molecules are responsible for identifying the body's cells as its own, thus avoiding immune reactions against them.
However, this system does not always work properly. There are certain HLA gene variants that can induce autoimmune diseases in which the defense system attacks the body's own tissues. This is the case of multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease caused by autoimmunity, which is associated with HLA-DR. And now this same genetic variant has been associated with Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system in which neurons that produce a chemical called dopamine die or do not function properly.
On the other hand, researchers have shown that there is a lower risk of developing the disease in people who take anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen. This relationship between Parkinson's and inflammation could be very relevant for the development of future treatments for the disease.
