Parkinson’s is a degenerative disorder affecting the brain. It develops when cells in the nerves and the brain are damaged due to the effect of aging or other factors resulting in the impairment of their functions. Damage to the cells eventually results in their destruction. Though advancing age is the most common risk factor for this disease, immunological dysfunctions have also been shown to contribute to the causes of Parkinson’s. A weak or improperly functioning immune system can result in premature degenerative changes in the brain and the nerve cells. Fine tremors of the hands and fingers are often the first visible sign of Parkinson’s disease. Over a period of time, patients develop other symptoms such as involuntary shaking, slowed movements, muscle stiffness, and an inability to maintain balance. If the condition is not controlled properly, patients may have a difficulty in performing routine activities such as talking or having a conversation, walking, and getting dressed. Hence, it is important to identify the immunological causes of Parkinson’s and correct the underlying abnormality to ease the symptoms. This article is focused on providing information about how an improperly functioning immune system can trigger the development of Parkinson’s disease.

How Does the Immune System Contribute To The Causes Of Parkinson’s?

Microglia Activation

Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder characterized by degenerative changes in the dopamine neurons in the nervous system. Activated glia, due to the improper response of the immune system, has been found to play a role in hastening the degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons. Degenerative changes occur due to the secretion of an array of chemokines, cytokines, and reactive oxygen species that are regulated by the immune system. Hence, the faulty immunity of a person and microglia activation are considered to be the common causes of Parkinson's disease.

Corticotropin-releasing Factor

Research studies have shown that the functions of the Corticotropin-releasing factor, which is known to help in coordinating the autonomic, endocrine, and immune responses of a person to stress, are hampered in patients with Parkinson’s disease. This can trigger an exaggerated immune system response by the body resulting in inflammatory changes in the brain tissues thereby triggering the causes of Parkinson’s disease. Also, the affected brain cells of patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease have been shown to possess Lewy bodies or deposits consisting primarily of abnormal forms of the protein, alpha-synuclein. These proteins can trigger an abnormal immune response, which indicates the connection between the development of Parkinson's disease and the abnormal functioning of the immune system.

Infiltration of Peripheral Immune Cells into the CNS

The role of the immune system in triggering the causes of Parkinson’s can be linked to the infiltration of peripheral immune cells into the CNS as is evident in patients diagnosed with this disease. An inflammatory response linked to abnormalities of the immune system is believed to be the major pathogenic factor associated with the onset and progress of Parkinson's. It was found that the release of inflammatory substances results in the increased expression of inflammatory genes in the periphery and microglial activation in the central nervous system along with an infiltration of the peripheral immune cells in the brain. The results of this study have provided evidence to prove the role of the immune system dysfunctions in contributing to the causes of Parkinson’s. Also, given the implications of the immune system involvement in the progress of this disease, including immunomodulatory therapies in the management of Parkinson’s is also recommended. These research studies have shown that abnormal functioning of the immune system can trigger the development of Parkinson’s disease. Also, if the underlying immune system dysfunction is not corrected, the condition can worsen faster due to the inflammatory and degenerative changes occurring in the brain. Hence, the use of supplements such as BioPro-Plus is recommended to help regulate immune system functions and protect the brain and nerve cells against damage. Regular use of this supplement could slow down the degenerative changes in the brain by correcting the immunological causes of Parkinson’s. This could relieve the symptoms of this disease and enable patients to perform routine activities with more ease.

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