Parkinson’s: Autoimmune attack may start years before diagnosis

[Abdiqani]

A new study adds an evidence reinforces the Auto- Immune attack to nerve cells which then develops PD . " Years before motor symptoms arise, other symptoms of Parkinson’s can appear, including a reduced sense of smell, constipation, mood changes, and REM sleep behavior disorder, which involves physically acting out dreams.

The existence of these prediagnostic symptoms suggests that damage to dopamine-producing nerve cells begins long before the person experiences trouble with movement.

A new study — spearheaded by researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), in California — adds to evidence that the immune system may be responsible for the damage to nerve cells.

The research also indicates that this autoimmune attack could start more than a decade before the person receives a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

The findings offer hope that doctors may be able to diagnose the disease earlier and that immunosuppressant treatment could slow, or even prevent, the loss of dopamine cells.

“Once these cells are gone, they’re gone,” says Cecilia Lindestam Arlehamn, Ph.D., the first author of the study and an assistant professor at LJI. “So, if you are able to diagnose the disease as early as possible, it could make a huge difference.” Study Notes .

More info :

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[rhyspeace12]

My husband with PD died at the age of 80.Interestingly enough, he already had REM sleep disorder at the age of 20 when we got married. It got worse in his 30's. He lost his sense of smell at around the age of 70 and not long after started complaining of brain fog..It went increasingly down hill after that.

[Rosenmu]

I had definite autoimmune issues in 2014 and diagnosis in 2017.