Relationship between the immune system and the diseases of the central nervous system.

Considering the eventual role of non-specific cell-mediated immune reactions in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's syndrome based on the destruction of dopaminergic cells of the substantia nigra the killer cell activity of patients suffering from this disease has been examined. According to the results the killer cell activity of Parkinson patients is significantly lower in the age group below 60 years as compared to the higher age groups. When comparing the age groups below 60 years, significantly lower activity was measured in the patients than in the controls. Killer cell activity is significantly higher in patients suffering from more severe conditions (Hoehn-Yahr's stage IV-V) when compared to the milder cases. These results suggest the possibility that killer cell-mediated ADCC reaction may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The results of these examinations open new therapeutic perspectives. It may be hoped that, as a result of our increasing knowledge and technical progress in immunology, the damaged immune system could be selectively influenced and target specific immune therapy could be used in the near future by means of for instance inactivations of cytotoxic cells, elimination of antibodies or other immunological methods.